Spain had almost nothing to be criticized for after thrashing Turkey 6-0. However, Yamal left the pitch looking displeased when he was substituted by Jorge De Frutos in the final 20 minutes. The reason likely lies in the fact that the 18-year-old star still couldn’t find the back of the net. Earlier, in Spain’s 3-0 win over Bulgaria on September 5, he had already missed two golden chances. And once again, Yamal walked off the field without his name on the scoresheet.
What was most regrettable was that Yamal squandered what could be considered the clearest chance of the match. When Spain was leading by two goals, it was Yamal who played a through ball for Pedri to run onto. The Barcelona midfielder feinted a shot, taking out the entire Turkish defense and goalkeeper before cutting it back to Yamal. However, in a completely open position, the young star fired over the crossbar, with only one defender standing in front of the goal.
Right after the play, Yamal looked down at the turf, as the ball had taken a slight bounce just before he struck it. Even so, the Barcelona youngster surely felt he had only himself to blame for wasting such a golden opportunity.
When Spain was already leading by a wide margin, tensions unexpectedly flared after a scuffle between Barcelona and Real Madrid’s young talents. During a free-kick situation, as Arda Güler prepared to take it, Yamal stood in front of the ball to block him. Immediately, the Turkish midfielder shoved Yamal, and the Barcelona youngster retaliated with a shoulder bump, prompting players from both sides to rush in and separate them.
Yamal’s unnecessary clash left Spain coach Luis De La Fuente visibly displeased on the sidelines. Clearly, Yamal needs to maintain his composure on the pitch to avoid needless bookings.
⭐ A performance still full of quality
Putting that aside, Yamal still left his mark with a fairly impressive display, despite occasional inaccuracy in his finishing. Early in the match, the 18-year-old star truly tormented Turkey’s defense, repeatedly beating challenges and driving straight toward goal. However, one tame shot after a brilliant solo run and another effort that was blocked prevented him from scoring.
Even so, Yamal still managed to shine with two assists in the second half. He set up Ferran Torres for a goal before delivering a precise pass that allowed Mikel Merino to score a stunning strike and complete his hat-trick.