Late drama and justice were on full display in a thrilling conclusion to this gripping encounter. When Neco Williams challenged Yunus Akgun and Connor Roberts tackled Kerem Akturkoglu in the Wales area, both actions appeared clean, yet referee Juan Martínez Munuera awarded a penalty. It was unclear for which player’s (apparent) infraction the penalty was given, and VAR did not intervene. When Akturkoglu stepped up to take the spot-kick, it narrowly missed Karl Darlow’s left post, which felt just. After Craig Bellamy mentioned that a trip to Turkey could be a benchmark for Wales’s World Cup qualification campaign, leaving with a draw is a boost. Wales remained unbeaten in four Nations League games under Bellamy and, in the intense atmosphere of Kayseri’s RHG Enertürk Enerji Stadium, demonstrated a hunger for a fifth consecutive unbeaten match.
Sorba Thomas won an early corner, and Brennan Johnson was booked for a foul. Darlow took the ball, followed by Baris Alper Yilmaz, who challenged for a high delivery near the Welsh goal. Vincenzo Montella’s players appealed for a penalty, but the referee, correctly, was not interested. Turkey exerted control that pleased the boisterous crowd and pinned Wales back. Patient play maneuvered Arda Guler, the Real Madrid prodigy, into position down the right. He chipped over, Joe Rodon headed out, but only to Merih Demiral, whose composure failed him as he blasted over.
Any possession Wales enjoyed quickly dissipated, such as when Thomas ventured down his left flank and lost the ball cheaply. Akturkoglu, the home No 7, was allowed two attempts by the passive Wales midfield: both missed and served as warnings. A Hakan Calhanoglu corner from the left, plus interplay between Guler and Calhanoglu, featured the latter crossing, and Darlow collecting again. Closer was a slicing Mert Muldur delivery that slid before Darlow and required Roberts’s sliding intervention to clear. Worse was Josh Sheehan ceding possession as Wales tried to move out from the back, causing a major scare that needed Turkey’s indecision and Calhanoglu’s unsuccessful long-range effort to allow an escape.
Hemmed in, Bellamy’s team had to be lethal with any chance. When Thomas raced down the left, he regretted playing the ball slightly behind Johnson, who, running over from the right, was in prime position to score. One of Turkey’s more dangerous attempts featured Akgun unloading in Wales’s area, and Darlow, advancing, repelled with his legs. Another had Ben Davies scrambling to clear as Akturkoglu threatened to nip in behind before a Mark Harris and Rodon head clash caused a delay and left Harris with a shiner over his right eye and Rodon bandaged.
Wales came mighty close when Harry Wilson, fed by Harris, shot from distance and hit the right post; the following-up Johnson unlucky that the rebound evaded him. To stymie the Turkish flow, Bellamy called on the pace of Dan James, for Harris, while Montella replaced his captain, Calhanoglu, with Ismail Yuksek for the second half. A Thomas corner was bright, but Turkey soon returned to their familiar ball-hogging mode. A flighted pass was chested by Yilmaz as he looked to get in behind before Guler took over but failed to prosper.
Wales could not put the foot on the ball and slow this Nations League encounter, meaning they continued to flirt with peril. Akgun, striding forward and shooting barely wide, gave them another scare. Turkey could fill a compendium of these. Yilmaz, before being taken off, claimed a free-kick, and the bearded Orkun Kokcu fired this too high. If Turkey had discovered ruthlessness—Enes Unal missed an open goal—Wales would have been downed. After the excitement of the penalty that should not have been, with a single Group B4 match remaining, Turkey lead with 11 points. Wales, on nine, host Iceland, who have seven, on Tuesday, so all is to play for.
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