Mikel Merino’s hat-trick, Pedri’s braces and Ferran Torres’ strike denounce Torquier at home Shellac.
Released on September 7, 2025
Mikel Merino’s hat-trick helped the European champions stay firmly in Group E’s domination and hit host Torquier 6-0 in the World Cup qualifiers.
The hosts had no answer to Spanish rule on Sunday. It was cancelled multiple times by the speed and finesse of the visitors, and all counterattacks tore a helpless Turkish defense.
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Spain leads the group with six points from two matches, while Torquier and Georgia sit at three points from the same point. Georgia defeated Bulgaria 3-0 on Sunday.
Pedri found the net in six minutes, so the visitors attacked early and slotted past goalkeeper Ugurkan Kakir.
Merino doubled Spain’s tally in the 22nd minute, finishing a smooth passing move inside the box on a simple, unmarked strike past Turkish defense.
With the first half stop time, Merino attacked again, this time latching into a pullback to leave the house and giving Spain a three-goal cushion at intervals.
The onslaught resumed eight minutes in the second half when the Turkish horn backfired, and Ferran Torres led a quick counterattack, finishing a sharp exchange inside the box to make it four.
A confident Merino completed a hat-trick after just four minutes and closed another breakaway with a stunning left-footed curler from far away that flew to the top corner for Spain’s fifth.
Pedri added another to Spain in the 62nd minute and arrived with marks at the end of another quick break, making his second home home in the evening.
Elsewhere in the UEFA qualifiers, Germany, a four-time world champion, struggled over an hour against Northern Ireland.
The score level was 1-1, with a tap-in by substitute Nadiem Amiri in the 69th minute and a free kick from Florian Wirtz confirmed Germany’s first victory in Group A.
It was Julian Nagelman’s first victory in his final five matches, following a shock 2-0 defeat to host Slovakia on Thursday, his first loss in World Cup qualifying in the opening group match.
In another Group A game on Sunday, Slovakia won 1-0 in Luxembourg.
Meanwhile, in Brussels, Kevin de Bruin highlighted his talisman role in Belgium with his stunning goal of defeating Deadlock and running along his side towards a comfortable 6-0 victory in the World Cup qualifiers on Sunday.
For the Belgians before the 42-minute strike, they threatened to have an annoying night at the constant Vandenstock Stadium, but then they managed to register for a comfortable victory by scoring twice with both De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku.
Belgium scored 10 points from Group J’s four games ahead by Welsh’s target difference, but there are leaders North Macedonia, who beat Liechtenstein 5-0 early on Sunday. However, North Macedonia and Wales each played five games.
Elsewhere, Memphis Dipey set a new Dutch scoring record. His double helped him survive the scary thing by defeating Lithuania 3-2 in qualifying on Sunday.
Two goals for the 31-year-old Depay increased the national team tally to 52, moving ahead of Robin Van Persy’s previous record, putting the Netherlands at the top of the group G rankings at 10 points from four games.
