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WCQ: RED-HOT MEMPHIS DEPAY NETS HATRICK AS NETHERLANDS THRASH TURKEY

Red-hot Memphis Depay nets hat-trick as Netherlands hit Turkey for six

Memphis Depay scored a hat trick as the Netherlands ran out 6-1 winners over 10-man Turkey at the Amsterdam Arena on Tuesday to go top of World Cup qualifying Group G on goal difference.

It was the first international treble for the 27-year-old striker — who joined Barcelona as a free agent this summer — as the Dutch posted an emphatic victory for the second time in four days. The big win put them on 13 points from six games and vaulted them above Turkey at the head of the group.

Davy Klaassen scored in the opening minute to make a dream start for the home side, who had lost 4-2 to Turkey in Istanbul in March at the start of the qualifiers for the Qatar 2022 finals, before Depay added three more, including a penalty.

Guus Til scored the fifth 10 minutes from time and Donyell Malen added a sixth in stoppage time before a consolation goal for Cengiz Under.

The result means Turkey slip from top to third in the group as they remain on 11 points with Norway moving second, behind the Dutch on goal difference, after beating Gibraltar 5-1 on Tuesday.

It was a night for dominance by the Dutch, who picked up where they left off after Saturday’s 4-0 win over Montenegro to snatch the lead as Klaassen combined with Depay to score almost straight from the kick-off. An aggressive Dutch approach led to Klaassen then providing the assist for Depay’s first goal in the 17th minute as they doubled the score, and it was 3-0 at halftime after Depay converted a 38th-minute penalty.

Leicester City defender Caglar Soyuncu was booked for a foul on Klaassen to concede the spot-kick, which was awarded after a VAR check. The Turkey defender was then sent off for a second caution on the stroke of halftime. From there, Depay completed his hat-trick with a diving header on the goal-line to touch home Steven Berghuis’s cross in the 54th minute, before Til and Malen sealed the win with two more goals.

The one blemish came from a errant pass from goalkeeper Justin Bijlow that allowed Under to score for Turkey with the last kick of the game.

All in all, it was a triumphant night for veteran coach Louis van Gaal at the start of his third spell as coach. He had just days to prepare the team for their draw in Norway last Wednesday, but has since engineered two emphatic wins and a clear path to automatic qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

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Memphis Depay leads Barcelona to narrow victory over Getafe

Memphis Depay, who scored the winner in Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Getafe, had also scored in his team’s 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao last weekend.

Memphis Depay continued his good run with Barcelona, scoring the winner in a 2-1 victory over Getafe in the Spanish league on Sunday.

It was Depay’s second league goal for Barcelona, which has won two of its first three matches in its first season without Lionel Messi in nearly two decades.

Messi was expected to make his debut with Paris Saint-Germain later Sunday after the Catalan club failed to give him a new contract because of its financial struggles.

Depay, Barcelona’s biggest offseason signing, had also scored in the team’s 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao last weekend. He found the net Sunday after a neat move in front of a defender inside the area, sending a low shot inside the near post in the 30th minute.

Sergi Roberto had opened the scoring two minutes into the match at the Camp Nou Stadium after a cross by Jordi Alba.

“We were coming off a draw so we needed the win no matter what ahead of the international break,” said Roberto, who had also scored in Barcelona’s 4-2 win against Real Sociedad in the opener. “It was a difficult match but we came through with the victory.”

Getafe, which has lost three straight to start the league, equalized with a shot from Sandro Ramírez in the 18th. It was Getafe’s first league goal of the season.

“It’s been a tough start to the season for us but we have to keep working hard to try to recover,” said Ramírez, a former Barcelona player.

Barcelona forward Martin Braithwaite, who scored twice in the opener against Sociedad, had a goal disallowed for offside near the end of the match.

Depay nearly added his second from close range in the 85th, but sent the ball over the crossbar.

More than 26,000 fans were allowed at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona was without veteran defender Gerard Piqué because of a muscle injury.

The Catalan club has seven points, the same as rival Real Madrid which won 1-0 at Real Betis on Saturday. Sevilla, Valencia and Mallorca also have seven points.

Defending champion Atlético Madrid can become the only team with three straight victories to start the league if it defeats Villarreal at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium later Sunday.

Sevilla also entered the weekend with two wins but was held to a 1-1 draw at Elche on Saturday.

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MEMPHIS DEPAY DEBUTS, SCORES FOR BARCELONA IN WARM UP WIN GAME AGAINST GIRONA

Barcelona won their second preseason match as summer signing Memphis Depay scored on his debut in Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Girona at the Estadi Johan Cruyff.

Three of the four goals came from penalties, with Gerard Pique opening the scoring from the spot in the 21st minute.

Rey Manaj made it 2-0 three minutes later, following up his midweek hat-trick against Gimnastic de Tarragona with a finish from close range.

Girona pulled one back just before halftime when Samu Saiz scored a penalty before Memphis added Barca’s third, also from the spot, late on. Memphis arrived in Barcelona earlier this week after signing on a free transfer from Lyon in June.

He started on the bench but his debut came earlier than expected before half-time when Manaj was forced off with a head injury suffered in the 35th minute. There was palpable excitement among the nearly 3,000 crowd at the game every time Memphis got on the ball.

The Dutchman eventually gave the fans what they wanted, firing a penalty past visiting goalkeeper Juan Carlos with five minutes to play.

“It’s incredible,” Memphis said after the game. “I’m really happy to be wearing this shirt and to get my first minutes for the club. I enjoyed it so much. The fans were great with their energy and I loved seeing them in the stadium. I am so happy.

“I know everyone expects a lot at Barca. I’m going to work hard and I hope to have great moments with these supporters. I play football to entertain the fans. I hope to bring a lot of creativity. I always try to find the space between the lines and behind the defence, to score and make goals.”

Antoine Griezmann, Clement Lenglet, Miralem Pjanic and Frenkie de Jong were left on the bench for the first 60 minutes of the match but coach Ronald Koeman was still able to name a strong side. United States international Sergino Dest made his second start of preseason, with Pique, Sergi Roberto and Riqui Puig also involved from the off.

Girona’s Cristhian Stuani forced a fine early save from Inaki Pena and young left-back Alejandro Balde produced a key block to stop the follow-up going in before Barca took over. Balde was fouled as he danced into the box at the other end and Pique, taking the ball off Manaj, snuck the penalty in. Puig and Nils Mortimer then combined to set up Manaj’s fourth goal of preseason.

With Manaj off the field due to his head injury, Girona pulled one back. Saiz chipped a penalty down the middle after Nils had handled the ball at a corner and the Girona forward almost equalised moments later, hitting the bar from 25 yards.

With Memphis on, though, there was a change in the atmosphere and Barca started to create chances with ease.

Memphis twice came close, drawing a save from Juan Carlos before driving just wide. Griezmann almost got in on the act, too, while Pjanic hammered the bar with a free-kick from 30 yards.

Griezmann was then brought down in the area and, as the crowd chanted ‘Memphis,’ the new signing took the ball to crown a memorable debut.