The Turkish national team scored two first half touchdowns and then held on the defeat Team Spain 14-7 at the Ciudad del Fútbol de Las Rozas stadim in Madrid, Spain in the first ever meeting between the two nations.
The Spanish squad had come off a 27-0 blanking of Team Russia last month while Turkey played the Russians to a 13-13 draw.
Team Turkey wide receiver Yasin Can Parlak opened the scoring in the first quarter and then extended Turkey’s lead to 14-0 in the second quarter with another touchdown reception.
Photo: Lola Morales
With his team trailing 14-0 in the third quarter, Spain’s head coach Talib Wise, who had been rotating his quarterbacks – Andrés Donat, Brandon Smith and Juan Hervás – settled on Hervás who responded by tossing a touchdown pass to Guillem García early in the fourth quarter.
With the score now 14-7 in favor of Turkey, Spanish defensive back Jagoba López picked off an errant Turkish pass but the offense could not capitalize. Then a spectacular punt return by Marcos de la Mata was nullified by a penalty.
Turkey managed to move the ball into field goal range but a late fourth quarter attempt failed. Spain could not answer and the Turkish side came away with a 14-7 win, their first since playing Romania six years ago.