(MENAFN) Türkiye achieved a commanding 6-1 win over Bulgaria on Saturday during their third Group E encounter in the European Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, held in Sofia.

The scoring began with Arda Guler netting a goal in the 11th minute, followed by an own goal from Viktor Popov in the 49th minute. Kenan Yildiz added two more in the 51st and 56th minutes, while Zeki Celik contributed in the 65th minute, and Irfan Can Kahveci completed the tally in the 90+3rd minute. Bulgaria’s lone goal came from Radoslav Kirilov in the 13th minute.

During the 49th minute, Hakan Calhanoglu delivered a long ball behind the Bulgarian defense, which Popov misjudged while running alongside Kenan, inadvertently sending it into his own net for a 1-2 score.

In the 51st minute, Kenan, receiving a pass from Arda in the penalty area, adjusted his position and launched a shot that successfully found the net. Just five minutes later, Türkiye added a fourth goal as Hakan provided a precise pass to Kenan on the left flank. Kenan bypassed his marker, entered the penalty area, and finished with a sharp strike into the corner, bringing the score to 1-4.

The fifth goal came in the 65th minute after Arda delivered a corner from the right, allowing Zeki to head the ball into the net at the near post. Finally, in stoppage time, Oguz Aydın entered the penalty area and passed to Irfan, who slid to connect with the ball and seal the 6-1 victory.

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