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    Türkiye vs. Cymru | 2025 UEFA Nations League – League phase – GrpB4

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        Live ReportMatch Summary

        5. Player of the match, Joe Rodon reacts to the point against Türkiye.

        8. Match Summary

          The points were once again shared between Türkiye and Cymru, but just how this one finished goalless is a mystery.

          Cymru head coach Craig Bellamy was expecting an intense atmosphere at the RHG Enertürk Enerji Stadium and the Türkiye fans did not disappoint as Cymru’s early possession was met with blaring chorus of whistles and boos.

          Although Cymru looked in control during the opening exchanges, the home side quickly settled into the match and goalkeeper Karl Darlow had to be at his best to deny Yunus Akgün after 32 minutes. Türkiye had the majority of the ball, but Cymru defended solidly and restricted them to efforts from distance.

          Cymru thought they had taken the lead on 40 minutes but Harry Wilson was adjudged to have been offside in the build-up, and the decision was verified by VAR. Wilson would then hit the post during an extended period of injury-time which was the result of a nasty clash of heads between Mark Harris and Joe Rodon, although both players were able to continue after receiving treatment.

          Dan James was introduced for the 2nd half as he replaced Harris in attack. Meanwhile, Türkiye captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu was also replaced in what would be a major boost for Cymru as he had been one of the most effective players for the home side. The match remained close with Akgün and Wilson having half-chances for Türkiye and Cymru respectively, while the frustration of the home fans began to spread to their players.

          Bellamy emphasised before the match that the only approach he would take into every game would be to win, and his Cymru side continued to show real attacking intent in possession. A double-change on 72 minutes saw Liam Cullen and David Brooks introduced. Brooks tried his luck moments later, but his effort sailed wide of the post, and he would continue to link-up effectively with Brennan Johnson for the remainder of the match.

          Arda Güler was allowed space on the edge of the Cymru area but could not keep his effort down on 76 minutes as the game became increasingly open and Türkiye went in search of a goal. However, Cymru’s pace on the counter-attack was a clear problem for the home side, and it seemed as if a goal was inevitable as both teams showed nothing but attacking intent.

          The drama peaked on 88 minutes when a tackle from Williams was adjudged to be a foul and Türkiye were awarded a dubious penalty. However, Kerem Aktürkoğlu put his effort wide from the spot. Teenager Lewis Koumas was introduced from the bench by Bellamy for the final minutes, but the match would finish goalless, just as it did in Cardiff at the start of the campaign.

        9. Full-time verdict: An exhausting evening with no goals but plenty of drama. Both teams were clearly intent on winning this match while Türkiye will rue a missed penalty in the final moments. Just like the reverse fixture in Cardiff, it finishes 0-0, and both sides maintain their undefeated records in the group.

        10. 90' + 4'

          Türkiye really going for the win in these final moments. Cymru have defended so well and can’t let that slip now.

        11. Bellamy urges his players forward.

        12. 90'

          Substitution

          KOUMAS Lewis replaces JOHNSON Brennan

        13. 90'

          Substitution

          KOUMAS Lewis replaces JOHNSON Brennan

        14. 90'

          Koumas is introduced for the final minutes of the match. What a night this would be for the teenager to score his first senior goal.

        15. 89'

          Missed penalty

          KEREM AKTÜRKOĞLU

        16. 89'

          Missed penalty

          KEREM AKTÜRKOĞLU

        17. 89'

          Aktürkoğlu puts his spot kick wide! What a relief for Cymru.

        18. 88'

          Substitution

          KAAN AYHAN replaces ARDA GÜLER

        19. 87'

          Yellow card

          RODON Joseph

        20. 87'

          Yellow card

          RODON Joseph

        21. 87'

          Penalty for Türkiye. VAR will take a look but it looked like a good tackle from Williams. Rodon booked for his protests.

        22. 86'

          Substitution

          KAAN AYHAN replaces ARDA GÜLER

        23. 81'

          Sheehan has once again excelled in the middle of midfield tonight. He’s another player who has really raised his game under Bellamy.

        24. 80'

          The game continues to be played at a frantic pace. It’s really opened up with both teams sensing a goal and whoever opens the scoring now will be in a very strong position.

        25. 77'

          A big chance for Türkiye but Güler cannot keep his effort down after finding himself in space on the edge of the Cymru area.

        26. Harry Wilson has been in fine form for Cymru under Craig Bellamy.

        27. 75'

          Substitution

          ZEKI ÇELIK replaces EREN ELMALI

        28. 75'

          Substitution

          ZEKI ÇELIK replaces EREN ELMALI

        29. 73'

          Brooks looking to make an immediate impression there but his effort is off target.

        30. 72'

          Substitution

          CULLEN Liam Jamie replaces THOMAS Sorba

        31. 72'

          Substitution

          BROOKS David replaces JAMES Jordan Anthony

        32. 72'

          Substitution

          BROOKS David replaces JAMES Jordan Anthony

        33. 72'

          A positive double change for Cymru as Cullen and Brooks are introduced. Both players have the potential to ask questions of this Türkiye defence.

        34. 72'

          Substitution

          CULLEN Liam Jamie replaces THOMAS Sorba

        35. 70'

          Türkiye substitute Ünal with a spectacular effort there but his shot is blocked by Cymru captain Davies.

        36. Brennan Johnson tests the Türkiye defence.

        37. 68'

          Cymru respond by immediately going up the other end of the field, but Wilson’s final ball means the move comes to a disappointing end.

        38. 67'

          A good chance for the home side but the ball goes narrowly off target at the midway point in the 2nd half.

        39. Dan James came off the bench for the 2nd half.

        40. 65'

          Substitution

          ENES ÜNAL replaces BARIŞ ALPER YILMAZ

        41. 65'

          Substitution

          ENES ÜNAL replaces BARIŞ ALPER YILMAZ

        42. 65'

          Alper Yılmaz leaves the field, which is something of a surprise as he has been one of Türkiye’s more effective players.

        43. 62'

          Yellow card

          ABDÜLKERIM BARDAKCI

        44. 62'

          Yellow card

          ABDÜLKERIM BARDAKCI

        45. 59'

          A half-chance for Cymru as a superb long ball from Williams finds Wilson but he can’t control his effort on goal.

        46. Joe Rodon has embraced the challenge with an excellent performance so far.

        47. 51'

          A chance for Türkiye but Akgün shoots wide of Darlow’s post.

        48. 48'

          A blow for Türkiye as captain Çalhanoğlu is replaced at half-time. That will be a boost for Cymru such was the quality of his delivery from set-pieces.

        49. Neco Williams carries the ball.

        50. 46'

          Substitution

          JAMES Daniel Owen replaces HARRIS Mark

        51. 46'

          Substitution

          İSMAIL YÜKSEK replaces HAKAN ÇALHANOĞLU

        52. 46'

          James replaces Harris which may be a result of the knock the striker received just before half-time.

        53. 46'

          Substitution

          JAMES Daniel Owen replaces HARRIS Mark

        54. Half-time verdict: A match as intense as the atmosphere in the stadium with both teams looking to take the game to their opponents. Goalkeeper Karl Darlow was the hero for Cymru with a fine save on Yunus Akgün on 32 minutes. At the other end, Cymru had the ball in the back of the net but it was ruled out for offside before Wilson struck the upright in the final moments of the half. Türkiye have enjoyed the majority of the possession, but Cymru are very much in this game, and Bellamy will believe his team can capitalise on this performance in the 2nd half.

        55. 45' + 6'

          What a chance for Cymru as Wilson hits the post! So close!

        56. 45' + 1'

          Harris is back on his feet with a black eye while Rodon is bandaged up. Both players look set to continue though, which will be a relief for Bellamy.

        57. Connor Roberts plays the ball forward.

        58. 41'

          Play is paused following a nasty clash of heads between Harris and Rodon. Both Cymru players are down and receiving treatment.

        59. 40'

          Cymru have the ball in the back of the Türkiye net but the flag is raised against Wilson. VAR confirms the decision is correct.

        60. 32'

          A great save from Darlow to deny Akgün from scoring the opening goal. A ball through the middle causing problems for the Cymru defence, but it remains goalless.

        61. Cymru captain Ben Davies on the ball.

        62. 27'

          A defensive error from Cymru which they simply cannot afford to do on a night like this. Türkiye fail to capitalise. Concentration is key.

        63. 26'

          A great chance for Cymru there but the opportunity is lost following some great work from Wilson.

        64. The Cymru starting line-up.

        65. 24'

          Türkiye are getting closer to the opening goal. A great interception there from Roberts to deny the home side from the taking the lead.

        66. 22'

          A dangerous corner from Türkiye captain Çalhanoğlu is a warning for the Cymru defence. The home side are responding well to the intensity of their fans.

        67. Craig Bellamy gets his point across.

        68. 20'

          Cymru head coach Craig Bellamy suggested pre-match that the game would have settled down by now. It hasn’t, it’s still pretty frantic.

        69. 18'

          That’s a great and vital tackle from Davies. The captain leading by example at the back for Cymru.

        70. Sorba Thomas controls the ball.

        71. 14'

          Aktürkoğlu tries his luck from range put the ball sails over Darlow’s goal. Türkiye having the better of the possession now after a strong start from Cymru.

        72. 11'

          A big punch from Darlow clears the ball and takes down Alper Yılmaz. The referee waves away the penalty appeals of the home side.

        73. 9'

          Yellow card

          JOHNSON Brennan

        74. 9'

          Yellow card

          JOHNSON Brennan

        75. The Red Wall are here, Cymru will need them this evening.

        76. 6'

          First save of the match from Darlow as the talented Güler tries his luck. Both sides taking a positive approach to the match in these early stages.

        77. 3'

          A solid start from Cymru as they force an early corner and a free-kick on the edge of the Türkiye area. The whistles from the crowd suggest the locals aren’t impressed.

        78. 1'

          Cymru get the game underway in what is an intense and hostile atmosphere in Kayseri.

        79. '

          Substitution

          İSMAIL YÜKSEK replaces HAKAN ÇALHANOĞLU

        80. The Cymru squad have completed their warm-up and now getting ready for what will be a tough challenge against a strong Türkiye side.

        81. Connor Roberts also spoke to Sgorio ahead of what will be his 59th Cymru appearance.

          “All the boys are looking forward to it, what a massive occasion,” said Roberts. “To represent Wales at any time is unbelievable, and tonight is going to be up there as probably one of the biggest games we’ve played, away in Turkiye against a really good team with a hostile crowd.

          “We need to do our jobs and hopefully we can get something as well. It’s what you live for, it’s brilliant. You might never get to player in an atmosphere like this ever again, so we have to go out there and enjoy it.”

        82. Cymru head coach Craig Bellamy spoke to Sgorio ahead of the match.

          “There’s a lot of scenarios that can arise in a game like this, but you have to embrace it,” he explained. “Hopefully we’re able to find the solutions when they occur and we’ll be able to adapt to any situation, and that’s really the test tonight.

          “To come here, in an atmosphere like this, it’s going to be a test of course, but life’s about that. Whatever the outcome, I’m just looking forward to seeing what happens.”

        84. The atmosphere is building at the RHG Enertürk Enerji with kick-off fast approaching.

        86. The Cymru squad have arrived and are taking in the RHG Enertürk Enerji Stadium in Kayseri ahead of this crucial UEFA Nations League match against Türkiye.

        87. Team news

          Cymru head coach Craig Bellamy has made four changes from the team that defeated Montenegro 1-0 in Cardiff last month.

          Harry Wilson scored the only goal in that victory from the penalty spot and retains his place in the side while Brennan Johnson, Connor Roberts, Jordan James and Sorba Thomas all come into the starting line-up.

          Ben Davies captains the side on what will be his 91st senior international while Joe Rodon moves within one cap of a half-century with his 49th appearance.

        88. C’mon Cymru

          The Red Wall have arrived in Kayseri ahead of kick-off and Cymru will need their support in what is expected to be an intense atmosphere at the Kadir Has Stadium.

          “I expect the first 10 to 20 minutes to be a really tough period, maybe a bit of pain, but then the game will settle down,” explained Cymru head coach Craig Bellamy yesterday.

          “I want the team to feel like they can win every game, no matter where it is. It’s not going to be any different. I will not allow myself to be any different.”

        91. Pre-match

          The Cymru squad took a pre-match walk around the city of Kayseri this morning ahead of their UEFA Nations League match against Türkiye (5pm).

          Craig Bellamy’s side currently sit two points behind their opponents as both teams head into the final two games of the campaign. Both teams remain undefeated after four games in Group B4.

        94. Bellamy on amazing Türkiye atmosphere

          Cymru head coach Craig Bellamy also spoke to the media following the final training session as his side prepare to take on Türkiye in Kayseri tomorrow.

          “It’s a really good challenge,” he explained. “The first game was positive for us, my first look at the players against a strong side, a very good manager, a very good team. It was a good game for us, a good starting point.

          “This will be a difficult game, a country passionate about football, the atmosphere will add to it and you have to relish that. It’s so, so good. Will we be able to play how we would like to play? It’s going to be tough. You have to be good against a team like Türkiye with their individual quality.

          “When you come into this role you try and study all the managers. We were expecting something different in Cardiff, it changed and it’s been different since. The players are used to adapting so they know different roles and different responsibilities, so it will be interesting to see if they change it again.

          “If you’re going to qualify you have to come to these places. There’s no easy route to qualify for the World Cup, not that we want there to be and not that there should be. We’re going to find out a lot about ourselves tomorrow.

          “I was lucky enough to play in Istanbul, it’s just such a good place to come and play football. It’s an amazing place and it leaves you excited, and the players are excited as well. The intense atmosphere adds to it, but can we make it quieter?”

        97. Davies on Türkiye

          Cymru captain Ben Davies spoke to the media on Thursday from Kadir Has Stadium in Kayseri about the challenge of taking on Türkiye.

          “We put in a good performance in Cardiff but we can’t rest on that now,” explained Davies when asked about the 0-0 draw at the start of the UEFA Nations League campaign. “We know it’s going to be a completely different game.

          “We have to be as confident as we can and play our football to try and get a result. As a squad we know what these games mean if we do well, but it’s about getting our performances right, which will put is good stead for the qualifiers next year.

          “Türkiye are a very good team and they’ve shown in the last few years they can compete at the top level. We expect them to come at us, they’re at home and they want to win this game. It will be a difficult night, but we’re prepared to adapt and we know we can put our mark on the game and put in a good performance.”

        100. Cymru arrival

          The Cymru squad arrived in Türkiye last night ahead of Saturday’s UEFA Nations League match which takes place at the Kadir Has Stadium in Kayseri (5pm)

          The two nations are competing for top spot in League B4 with just two games remaining and couldn’t be separated in Cardiff at the start of the campaign as they played out a 0-0 draw in Craig Bellamy’s first match as head coach.

          The final games in the group take place on Tuesday when Cymru return to Cardiff to take on Iceland and Türkiye travel to Montenegro.

        104. Rodon closing in on cap milestone

          Cymru defender Joe Rodon is just two appearances away from earning his 50th senior international cap.

          The Leeds United star came through the ranks at boyhood club Swansea City and has now established himself in the Cymru starting line-up as he prepares to take on Türkiye and Iceland in what could be a defining week of his international career.

          The 27-year old represented Cymru at U19, U20 and U21 level and made his senior debut against Azerbaijan in September 2019, and would play every minute for Cymru at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

          “For me it’s been an absolute pleasure to work with him and his team,” said Rodon about head coach Craig Bellamy last month. “The level and detail of everything is top class and to learn here with him is a pleasure. You could see after the games that all the boys enjoyed it.

          “Of course we want to build momentum and keep learning as a group. Team spirit and togetherness is always high and we’re just really excited for the future games.”

        107. Meet the Ref

          Juan Martínez Munuera of Spain will take charge of the UEFA Nations League match between Türkiye and Cymru on Saturday.

          The 42-year old has been officiating in La Liga since 2013 and has been a FIFA Referee since 2015. This season he has also taken charge of fixtures in the UEFA Champions League including Bayern Munich’s 9-2 win over Dinamo Zagreb.

          In November 2020, Martínez was the Fourth Official as Cymru claimed a 3-1 win over Finland at the Cardiff City Stadium (below) to earn promotion back to League A of the Nations League.

          On Saturday, he will be assisted by Raúl Cabañero and Guadalupe Porras Ayuso, while Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz is the Fourth Official. Alejandro Hernández will be the VAR and he will be assisted by Guillermo Cuadra. All of the officials are from Spain.

        109. WATCH

          Watch build-up content on RedWall+ where you can find interviews with the players and special features across the Cymru National Team and other aspects of Welsh football.

          Click here to start watching now

        111. Former Cymru international Ashley Williams was back on camp this week to make cap presentations to members of the current squad.

          Williams captained Cymru to the semi-finals of EURO 2016 and made 86 senior international appearances between 2008 and 2019, scoring two goals.

        114. James fit and ready for Cymru return

          Dan James returns to the Cymru squad after injury and he also spoke to the media on Tuesday about missing out on the opening four games of the UEFA Nations League campaign.

          “It’s great to be back, it’s been frustrating, but it’s really nice to come back and be fully-fit,” said James. “You look at his [Craig Bellamy’s] principles and how he wants to play and it suits my game. I missed the first two camps so now I have to catch-up, but the way he’s doing it is great.

          “I was gutted to be out, I felt like I started the season well and it took me out of that rhythm, but I’m back now and raring to go. The manager knows and we know that there’s a lot more to come from this group, it will be tough but we’ve got to go to Türkiye now and really believe in ourselves and how we can affect the game.

          “We’ve got to keep showing what we can do, keep performing, and keep showing that togetherness to keep building. We all know what we’re striving to do, and that’s to be at the World Cup. We know it’s not easy, but we’re working hard to be there.”

        116. Allen excited by Cymru return

          Joe Allen was also on media duty this afternoon and spoke about his decision to return to international football.

          “It’s a big boost and not something I was expecting in all honesty, but it was an opportunity that was impossible to refuse,” he explained. “It’s given me a new lease of life in some ways. Listening to Craig’s ambitions, his staff and how he wants to develop the younger players was music to my ears.”

          Allen initially announced his international retirement in February 2023 following the FIFA World Cup in Qatar having made 74 senior appearances, but his focus now is very much on the next tournament in 2026.

          “Reaching the World Cup is the main target, that’s always on our mind and we haven’t got time to waste so we had to hit the ground running,” he added. “The players have grasped everything he [Craig Bellamy] wants to do, but we know that there are improvements that can be made between now and the start of the qualifying campaign.

          “The ambition is to get to another World Cup and give a better account of ourselves. My message to the younger players in the group is to not take this for granted, it’s a special time.”

        119. Sheehan prepared for Türkiye

          Cymru midfielder Josh Sheehan spoke to the media from the team base on Tuesday afternoon and reflected on his man of the match performance against Montenegro last month.

          “I’ve been on a lot of camps over the last couple of years and I felt like I was ready,” he explained. “For me now it’s to build on that going forward as there’s always been good players competing for that position.

          “The preparation levels have stepped-up, but once we cross the white line it’s on us. It’s been a good transition and we’ve got good players who can adapt to any situation.”

          Sheehan made his first appearance of the UEFA Nations League campaign against Montenegro, and is now prepared for the challenge of taking on Türkiye this weekend. “We’re not going to underestimate them and we know it will be a different challenge to what we faced in Cardiff,” he added.

          “We have to implement how we want to play and not let the crowd affect us. For us, it’s about the short and medium term, we’re not thinking too far ahead. We just want to be as best prepared as we can be for the next game on Saturday and performing as best we can.”

        121. Bellamy v Türkiye and a surprise Cardiff connection

          Craig Bellamy made 78 appearances for the Cymru senior team between 1998 and 2013, but didn’t come up against Türkiye during that period.

          However, it was during his Cymru U21 career that Bellamy twice faced Türkiye as the two nations went head-to-head in UEFA qualifying in December 1996 and in August 1997. Türkiye won both matches 3-0, although neither side would qualify for the finals.

          Bellamy started both games against Türkiye, and in the first match he found himself up against Erol Bulut, who was until recently the manager of Cardiff City. Despite earning 18 caps at U21 level, Bulut would never make a senior appearance for his country.

        125. Previous meetings

          There have been ten previous meetings between Cymru and Türkiye in a fixture dating back to November 1978 when Nick Deacy scored to earn Mike Smith’s side a 1-0 win. It was the first of four victories for Cymru, with Türkiye claiming three victories and three draws.

          The most recent match between the two nations took place in Cardiff back in September this year at the start of the UEFA Nations League campaign as the Craig Bellamy era began with a 0-0 draw (below).

          The last Cymru victory over Türkiye took place in Baku, Azerbaijan during the group stages of EURO 2020 as goals from Aaron Ramsey and Connor Roberts proved to be enough for a 2-0 win, and with it claim a place in the Round of 16.

          The highest-scoring match between Cymru and Türkiye was back in August 1997 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in Istanbul as the home side claimed a famous 6-4 win against Bobby Gould’s side.

        128. Squad update

          Cymru head coach Craig Bellamy has been forced to make three early changes to his squad for the UEFA Nations League fixtures against Türkiye and Iceland.

          Kieffer Moore, Wes Burns and Owen Beck have withdrawn from the squad and will be replaced by Jay DaSilva, Charlie Savage and Luke Harris (below).

        131. All to play for at the top

          Cymru complete their UEFA Nations League campaign this month with a difficult test against group leaders Türkiye on Saturday, 16 November, before Iceland visit the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday, 19 November.

          Craig Bellamy’s side are currently two points behind Türkiye and both nations are still undefeated after four games. The two teams shared the points with a 0-0 draw in Cardiff in the first match of the group back in September.

          Dan James is included in the Cymru squad for the first time since Bellamy’s appointment and the head coach believes he can make a big impression. “He’s an outstanding player who will really add to the group,” said Bellamy when announcing his squad last week.

          “He’s a player I really like. He’s been unfortunate with his injury but we’re really excited to have a player with his quality and his speed to add to what we’ve already got.”

        132. There is no live report available for this match

        Lineups

        Starting

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                Table

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                Match Info

                Stadium

                Date & Time

                Referee

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