TürkiyeTeam·Türkiye secured a valuable 2-1 victory over Venezuela in their final World Cup preparation match at InterTeam·Inter Miami CF Stadium, completing a spirited comeback that will provide confidence ahead of their Group D campaign.
Venezuela struck first in the 13th minute when Gleiker MendozaPlayer·Gleiker Mendoza curled a precise right-footed effort from outside the box beyond the reach of the TürkiyeTeam·Türkiye goalkeeper. The early goal rewarded Venezuela's bright start and tested TürkiyeTeam·Türkiye's resolve in their concluding warm-up fixture.
TürkiyeTeam·Türkiye's response arrived just before halftime through Barış Alper Yılmaz, who converted from close range in the 44th minute following a corner kick delivered by Real Madrid's Arda GülerPlayer·Arda Güler. The equaliser shifted momentum decisively in TürkiyeTeam·Türkiye's favour as they entered the break level.
The winning goal materialised nine minutes into the second half when Yunus AkgünPlayer·Yunus Akgün struck a powerful half-volley to complete the turnaround. Güler again provided the creative spark, underlining his importance to Vincenzo Montella's plans with another assist before being substituted in the 62nd minute.
"It was a tough, intense match against a cunning South American team, which they often are," Montella reflected afterwards. The Italian emphasised the importance of adaptability for his squad's World Cup ambitions: "This is football, so you have to adapt and those who are better and more capable of adapting will have fewer distractions."
The victory concludes TürkiyeTeam·Türkiye's preparations in Miami before relocating to their main training base in Mesa, Arizona. Montella's team qualified for the 2026 World Cup by finishing second in UEFA Group E behind Spain, then navigating the playoffs with 1-0 victories over Romania and Kosovo.
TürkiyeTeam·Türkiye face a challenging Group D draw that includes Australia on June 13, Paraguay on June 20, and co-hosts the United States on June 26. The team aims to advance beyond the group stage for the first time since their memorable semi-final run in 2002.
For Venezuela, the defeat highlighted both promise and frustration. Coach Oswaldo Vizcarrondo praised his players' commitment despite the result, noting that heat and humidity affected performance in the second half. "It's purely a psychological issue, they have to convince themselves that we can do different things," he explained.
Venezuela remain the only CONMEBOL nation never to reach a World Cup, making this friendly part of their rebuilding process under Vizcarrondo as they target future qualification cycles. The coach plans to attend World Cup matches to establish benchmarks for his developing squad.
The result provides TürkiyeTeam·Türkiye with momentum as they prepare for their return to football's biggest stage, while Venezuela continue their patient pursuit of a historic first World Cup appearance.
Gleiker Mendoza (R) of Venezuela vies for the ball with Zeki Celik (C) of Turkey during a World Cup warm-up match. Agencia EFE/IMAGO
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