Nations League: Turkey Scores Through Güler, Loses to Belgium
The Turkish national team continued its losing streak in the Nations League group stage, suffering its fifth consecutive defeat against Belgium (1-2) in a match held at the Gürsel Aksel Stadium in İzmir on Thursday evening.
Young star Arda Güler scored for the Turkish team in the 20th minute with a brilliantly executed free-kick that found the back of the net, igniting the stands and giving the home side the lead.
However, the Turkish joy was short-lived as the Belgian players showed their champion character and big-game experience. Just seven minutes later, captain Kevin De Bruyne brought the match back to square one by scoring the equalizer in the 27th minute, before Charles De Ketelaere dealt the final blow to the Turkish team, scoring the winning goal in the 30th minute.
Although possession slightly favored Turkey at 51% versus Belgium's 49%, and the Turks had more shots on target (seven to four)—the attacking efficiency and defensive solidity of the Belgian side in the second half secured them the three points.
With this valuable win, the Belgian team raises its tally to 9 points in Group 1, keeping its chances of securing a spot in the quarterfinals strong ahead of the anticipated clash with Italy in the final round next Sunday (November 15).
In contrast, the Turkish team's woes deepened with its fifth consecutive loss, leaving them with zero points at the bottom of the standings. This means they are officially relegated from the top tier before their final match against France.
المصدر: Al-Mahria Net
