Hello everyone! Our coverage of the
Euro 2016 qualifiers continues with a vital clash in Group A. The Netherlands and Turkey would of both had high hopes of reaching next year's finals at the start of their campaigns, but with just three games left they are sweating on a place in the playoffs.
The Netherlands have lost three games already in a tumultuous qualifying campaign, that saw Guus Hiddink quit as manager after just 10 months in the job. They are currently third in the group with 10 points, but a win for the Czech Republic against Latvia this evening will mean that an automatic spot will be out of their reach.
It is a similar story for Turkey, who are a point below the Dutch after winning just two of their seven group games. They were on their way to a crucial win over Latvia earlier this week, but a stoppage-time equaliser from Valerijs Sabala saw them held to a damaging draw that has left their hopes of reaching the finals hanging by a thread.
With kick off fast approaching, let's take a look at the players who will be starting in this evening's match.
TEAMS:TURKEY XI: Babacan, Ozbayrakli, Aziz, Balta, Erkin, Tufan, Turan, Inan, Ozyakup, Yilmaz, Calhanoglu
NETHERLANDS XI: Cillessen, Van der Wiel, De Vrij, Bruma, Riedewald, Blind, Klaassen, Sneijder, Narsingh, Van Persie, Depay
So, that's how the teams line up this evening. The Dutch have responded to their defeat against Iceland by making four changes to the starting XI. Robin van Persie is the most notable player to be handed a start, as he comes in for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to join Memphis Depay in the attack.
The other changes made by the visitors see 18-year-old Jairo Riedewald handed his debut in place of the suspended Bruno Martins Indi, while Jeffrey Bruma and Luciano Narsingh are also brought into the team. However, they are without Arjen Robben, who went off injured with a thigh injury against Iceland, that will keep him on the sidelines for four weeks.
Meanwhile, Turkey have made just two alterations from the team who were held by Latvia. Sener Ozbayrakli and
Oguzhan Ozyakup are restored to the starting lineup, with Gokhan Tore and Volkan Sen the players to make way.
We could be in for plenty of drama if we see a repeat of what happened the last time these teams met. Turkey were on their way to claiming three points when
Burak Yilmaz gave his side the lead in Amsterdam. However, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored two minutes into stoppage time to rescue a draw for the Netherlands.
If Turkey had been able to cling on for a win, then it would have only been their third against the Dutch. They have lost five of their previous meetings with the Oranje, and their last victory came in 1997, when Galatasaray legend Hakan Sukur scored in a 1-0 win.
We have just head the national anthems from the two teams and the match is now just a couple of minutes away from getting started. There is a great atmosphere inside the stadium and the Turkish fans will be hoping to make it as intimating as possible for the visitors.
KICKOFF! We are underway at the Torku Arena!
Turkey have seen a lot of the ball in the opening minutes and they are looking to put the Dutch under pressure by pressing high up the pitch. However, they are almost caught out, as Narsingh is narrowly flagged offside after breaking behind the defence.
The hosts are still dominating possession and their midfielders are working the ball around well just inside the Dutch half. There also seems to be a lot of space down the left flank and it looks like an area they could exploit.
GOAL! Turkey 1-0 Netherlands (Oguzhan Ozyakup)
What a great start to the match for Turkey, who have taken a crucial lead so early in the tie. The Dutch are badly caught out at the back, as Turan slides a ball through to Ozyakup, who shows great composure to dink a classy finish past the on-rushing Cillessen and into the far corner.
The defending from the visitors really was poor, with De Vrij and Bruma allowing Ozyakup far too much space to run in behind them. Take nothing away from Turkey, though, who deserve their lead after a positive start to the evening.
SAVE! Huge chance for the Dutch to equalise as Narsingh is slid into the box by a neat flick from Van Persie. He is at a tight angle and has men arriving inside the middle, but he decides to go for goal himself and sees his effort well blocked by Babacan.
The Dutch have taken their time, but they are slowly growing into the contest and getting into some good positions. Depay shows his threat down the left by working some room and flashing a dangerous ball across the box, but Klaassen was ruled offside as he attacked it.
SHOT! Turan has looked lively for the hosts since the opening minute and he pops up in acres of space around 25 yards out from goal. He takes a touch and fires in a powerful strike, but his effort is no trouble for Cillessen and ends up heading over the bar.
CHANCE! Some of the defending from the visitors has been awful and they are almost made to pay again. They allow Aziz a free header at the back post from Calhanoglu's deep free kick, but fortunately for Blind's side, the defender could not find the target.
CHANCE! It's another decent opening for the Dutch, who are looking better going forward than they are at the back. Sneijder is the man who comes close, as he is found by Van Persie, before firing in a strike that is far too central and stopped by Babacan.
YELLOW CARD! Turan is the first player this evening to pick up a card for a foul on Blind.
GOAL! Turkey 2-0 Netherlands (Arda Turan)
Things go from bad to worse for the Dutch, as they concede their second goal of the evening from another defensive mistake. Turan is the man who scores, as he steals possession from Blind and battles his way into the box from the left, before drilling in a low strike towards the near post that should be stopped by Cillessen, but the keeper allows the ball to squirm past him and into the back of the net.
There could be more goals in this for Turkey, as the Dutch have been so poor at the back. They have made plenty of mistakes in their previous group games and the incoherence of their backline could see them miss out on a place at the Euros.
While the Dutch will be hoping to pull a goal back before the break, a third goal for Turkey could finish the tie. They have looked dangerous every time they have come forward, with Turan showing some great touches in the midfield.
SAVE! It's almost three for Turkey as Yilmaz collects a pass on the edge of the box and holds off the challenge of Bruma. He then turns and fires in a low drive, but this time Cillessen is there to turn the ball behind for a corner.
YELLOW CARD! Van Persie is shown a card by the referee for protesting after he felt that he had been fouled.
The Netherlands need their best players to come up with something special, but the likes of Sneijer and Van Persie have been very quiet. This time Snejider is given the chance to whip a free kick into the middle and the Dutch send plenty of men into the box, but the midfielder's delivery is unusually poor and drifts harmlessly out of play.
It's just not happening for the visitors, but they are almost in behind when Van Persie gets onto Snejider's pass inside the box. The striker then tries to take a touch past Balta, but the defender makes a good block and the keeper is quickly in to smother the loose ball.
There will be just one minute added on to the end of the first half.
HALF-TIME: Turkey 2-0 Netherlands
It's half time at the Torku Arena and Turkey are in command against the Netherlands. Goals from Oguzhan Ozyakup and
Arda Turan after poor defending from the Dutch means that they are set to move above their opponents and into third place in the group.
There can be no denying that Turkey deserve their lead as they have been the far better side. The Dutch actually saw more of the ball, with 58% of the possession, but they have struggled to create chances and
Danny Blind could be thinking of changes ahead of the second half.
Elsewhere in the group, the Czech Republic are on the verge of sealing their place at next year's finals, as they are currently 2-0 up against Latvia at the break. If they hold on and claim the points, they will be assured of a spot in France, and Iceland could join them if they beat Kazakhstan later this evening.
RESTART! Turkey take the kick off and get the match back underway.
SUB! The Dutch are making a change at the start of the half, as Wijnaldum comes on to replace De Vrij.
MISS! Wijnaldum wastes the chance to score just minutes after coming on when he breaks away from his marker and latches onto Depay's excellent cross. He is all alone inside the box, but he gets his header all wrong and puts the ball well wide of the post.
Since the beginning of the half, Turkey have dropped back onto the edge of their own box, and they are struggling to get the ball clear. They are inviting the Dutch to come onto them and the pressure on their defence is steadily rising.
SHOT! Depay has shown brief glimpses of his talent this evening and he cuts inside from the left before drilling in a powerful low drive. The shot is well hit, but Babacan watches it all the way and manages to hold on.
CHANCE! Turkey may not have created too much in this half, but they have just come agonizingly close to grabbing a third. It's Aziz who almost scores, as he meets Calhanoglu's corner with a powerful header, before directing the ball just inches over the bar.
SUB! Turan looked to be struggling with a problem at the end of the first half and he makes way here to be replaced by Sen.
Although the Dutch are in control of the ball, they are seeing their attacks break down time and time again just outside the Turkish penalty box. They are still struggling to get in behind the defence and the keeper really has not been tested enough.
YELLOW CARD! Van der Wiel is booked by the referee for a foul on Tufan and it means that he will miss his country's next match against Kazakhstan through suspension.
SUB! It's a second change for Turkey, with Topal coming on for Calhanoglu.
SUB! The visitors are also making a change, with Promes replacing Narsingh.
YELLOW CARD! Ozbayrakli is the latest player to be shown a card for a foul on Depay.
In the past 10 minutes the tempo of the match has dropped off slightly, due in part to the recent substitutions and bookings. It is not suiting the Dutch at all, as they have been unable to build any momentum to spark a late comeback.
YELLOW CARD! Balta is shown a card after appealing for Bruma to be booked during a corner.
SUB! The visitors make their final change of the match, with De Jong coming on for Blind.
YELLOW CARD! The cards are starting to pile up now and the goalscorer Ozyakup becomes the fourth Turkish player to see yellow.
CLOSE! De Jong almost scores with his first touch of the ball as he gets up above everyone inside the box to meet Sneijder's curling free kick. He makes good contact with the ball, but he can only direct it inches wide of the far post. That was a more positive sign from the Dutch, and Turkey just seem to have lost their concentration in recent minutes.
SHOT! Sneijder has not quite found his range this evening and he fires a low strike well wide of the post from 25 yards. One goal now really would make it a nervy finale for the hosts, and you can sense the frustration from the home fans whenever their team loses possession.
The pressure from the Dutch is unrelenting now and they are swinging a number of crosses into the box looking for Van Persie. However, Turkey are repelling everything that is coming their way and they don't have too much longer to hold out.
SUB! Third and final change for Turkey, with Sahan coming on for Ozyakup.
GOAL! Turkey 3-0 Netherlands (Burak Yilmaz)
It's all over now as Turkey score their third goal of the evening with just five minutes left to play. Erkin appears to foul Van der Wiel inside the box, but a free kick is not given and he finds Yilmaz in the middle. The striker then turns and fires in an effort that takes a slight deflection of Bruma on its way into the top corner.
YELLOW CARD! Tufan picks up a late booking for the hosts for fouling Depay.
There are going to be five minutes of stoppage time.
SHOT! Even in stoppage time a goal is still out of the reach for the Dutch. Van Persie almost finds a way through when he is slid into the box and onto his favoured left foot, but his first-time strike crashes narrowly over the bar.
FULL-TIME: Turkey 3-0 Netherlands
The final whistle blows in Konya and Turkey have held on to record a famous victory over the Netherlands. They have now moved up to third place and above the Dutch in their qualifying group, with just two games left to play. It was a truly miserable night for the Dutch, and their hopes of qualifying for Euro 2016 hang in the balance.
That's just about all we've got time for, after a superb display from the Turks. We'll have more live coverage from the European Championship qualifiers for you this evening so stay tuned for that. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend. Goodbye!