The road to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup began for European teams on Wednesday with a slip-up by France to open its title defense, a big loss for the Netherlands and a human-rights statement by Norway.
The French were held 1-1 by Ukraine inside an empty Stade de France outside Paris as an own-goal by defender Presnel Kimpembe canceled out Antoine Griezmann’s 19th-minute opener for the hosts.
A hat trick by 35-year-old striker Burak Yilmaz earned Turkey a 4-2 win over the Netherlands, whose qualifying record for major international tournaments has been sketchy in recent years.