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Türkiye's women's national football team secured a 2-1 win over Northern Ireland in their fifth match of Group 2 in League B of the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup European Qualifiers, guaranteeing second place in the group and a spot in the play-offs with one game still to play.
The match was played at Pendik Stadium, where head coach Necla Gungor Kiragasi said the team had shown both tactical discipline and strong determination.
Speaking after the final whistle, Kiragasi said she was proud of her players and believed the squad could go on to achieve more.
Kiragasi said Türkiye had played at a high tempo and pointed to the team's settled defensive structure as one of the key reasons behind the victory.
She explained that Türkiye was able to win the ball back in defense and turn those moments into attacking moves, while also reacting well when they had to switch back from attack to defense.
The coach said the players fought with full commitment and added that the team had technically strong footballers who had now adapted well to the tactical plan.
"It was a very good win. I am extremely happy. I am proud of these players and I believe they will sign off on very good things," Kiragasi said.
With second place and a play-off berth already secured, Kiragasi said she was hopeful about what comes next. She said the squad believed strongly in itself and recalled that, four years ago, it had set a target of moving Türkiye closer to the top 40 in the rankings.
The coach said the team had now moved closer to that goal and would put up a strong fight regardless of their opponent in the play-offs.
Melike Pekel, who scored Türkiye's first goal against Northern Ireland, said the team had put in a strong performance and fought hard throughout the match.
Pekel said she was especially happy to contribute after dealing with two major injuries during the season. She added that the play-offs had become a shared dream inside the squad.
"We are in the best period of the Turkish women's national football team. Opponents also know we are a good team and they take us seriously. That makes us happy because we are carrying our country to better places," Pekel said.
National team player Miray Cin also said the team was delighted with the result and described the victory as an important achievement.
She said Türkiye had played very well against Northern Ireland and would continue to give everything in the playoffs.
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