IZMIR (The Thursday Times) — Arda Guler gave Turkiye the lead with a curling free-kick, but Belgium hit back twice in three minutes to win 2-1 in Izmir on Thursday and spoil Sergen Yalçın’s first match as Turkiye coach.
Guler opened the scoring in the 20th minute at the Gursel Aksel Stadium, bending a free-kick from the edge of the box into the top corner after Nicolas Raskin had brought him down.
Belgium were level seven minutes later. Jeremy Doku beat Oguz Aydin on the left and pulled the ball back for Kevin De Bruyne, who finished first time. Three minutes after that, Ugurcan Çakır saved from Diego Moreira, Maxim De Cuyper collected the rebound, and Charles De Ketelaere scored from close range.
Yalçın, appointed last month, sent on Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Deniz Gül in the 58th minute, but Turkiye could not find an equaliser.
Fifth defeat in a row
The defeat was Turkiye’s fifth in a row in the Nations League. They are bottom of Group A1 without a point, and their place in League A is in serious danger.
Belgium moved to nine points and kept their hopes of a quarter-final place alive. Later on Thursday, Italy beat France 3-1 at San Siro to go top of the group on 10 points, level with France, with Belgium third.
