Burak Yilmaz rolled back the years to score a brilliant hat-trick as Turkey withstood a fightback and consigned the Netherlands to a 4-2 defeat in their 2022 World Cup qualifying opener.
2022 World Cup qualification Europe
4-2
Match Report
Veteran striker Yilmaz had not scored an international goal in two years prior to a first-half brace that had Turkey in control by half-time of the Group G contest at the Ataturk Stadium.
Hakan Calhanoglu's fine effort 31 seconds into the second half left the Dutch reeling but quickfire goals from substitutes Davy Klaassen and Luuk de Jong offered hope of an unlikely point with 15 minutes to go.
But 35-year-old Yilmaz wrapped up the points and made sure he was leaving with the matchball with an outstanding free-kick nine minutes from time, the visitors' miserable outing consigned by Memphis Depay's late penalty miss.
Line-ups
Turkey XI: B. Yılmaz, Yokuslu, Calhanoglu, Karaman, O. Tufan, M. Çelik, Soyuncu, U. Meraş, U. Çakır, Y. Yazıcı, O. Kabak
Subs: C. Erkin, M. Günok, Tosun, K. Ayhan, Antalyalı, E. Kılınç, D. Türüç, E.Ünal, A. Bayındır, D. Toköz, M. Müldür, O. Kökçü
Netherlands XI: Krul, Wijnaldum, Blind, De Roon, Berghuis, Depay, Tete, De Ligt, De Jong, O. Wijndal, D. Malen
Subs: Stekelenburg, Babel, Luuk de Jong, Van Aanholt, Veltman, Cillessen, Klaassen, Van de Beek, Bergwijn, Dumfries, Stengs, Gravenberch