SOYUNCU SEES RED AS TURKEY HANDED A THRASHING
CITY’S TURKISH CENTRAL DEFENDER CONCEDES PENALTY AND GETS SENT OFF IN HIS COUNTRY’S 6-1 THRASHING AT HANDS OF THE NETHERLANDS
CAGLAR Soyuncu’s error-strewn start to the season continued on international duty, prompting the Leicester City defender to issue an apology.
Soyuncu conceded a penalty and received a red card as Turkey lost 6-1 to the Netherlands in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday night, their heaviest defeat since 1990.
Those mistakes followed lapses in judgements in his most recent two City outings, cheaply giving the ball away for one of West Ham’s four goals, and diving in to concede a penalty in the 2-1 victory over Norwich.
On Tuesday, with Turkey already 2-0 down, Soyuncu was too slow to react in the penalty area and brought down
Davy Klaassen, earning his first yellow card and allowing Memphis Depay to convert from the spot.
Six minutes later, he rushed out to meet Depay and sent the Barcelona man sprawling, leaving the referee with no choice but to send him off.
Depay went on to get a hat-trick for the Dutch, who had led 6-0 before former City loanee Cengiz Under scored a consolation in injury time.
After the game, Soyuncu tweeted: “A night that I don’t want to live again in my career.
“I am very sorry for the red card I was shown. I apologise to all my team-mates and the public.”
The result means Turkey slipped from top to third in a tightly-contested Group G, with the Netherlands and Norway both two points ahead.
However, there was better news for Kasper Schmeichel and Denmark, who demolished Israel 5-0 to maintain their perfect record in qualifying.
The result means Schmeichel has kept a clean sheet in exactly half of his 74 senior international caps.
Elsewhere, Luke Thomas made his England Under-21s debut.
The left-back played 90 minutes in Lee Carsley’s first game in charge, helping to keep a clean sheet as they beat Kosovo
2-0 in Milton Keynes in the first match of European Championship qualifying.
Sheffield
United striker
Rhian Brewster and Manchester City midfielder Cole Palmer got the goals.
International football concluded last night with three
City players potentially in action.
Youri Tielemans and Timothy Castagne hoped to strengthen Belgium’s hold on top spot in their World Cup qualifying pool with victory in Belarus, while Danny Ward and Wales were trying to keep up their chase of the group leaders by beating Estonia at home.