Wales bid to qualify for Euro 2024 took another hit as Turkey produced one of the most comfortable football scores of the weekend in Euro 2024 qualifying. In a bizarre match in Samsun, Turkey had two goals ruled out by VAR while Danny Ward saved Hakan Calhanoglu’s penalty. However, the hosts scored twice in the final eight minutes of play, once via Umut Nayir and once through Arda Guler. However, soon before halftime, Joe Morrell’s high challenge on Ferdi Kadioglu—despite the Wales player having a touch on the ball—led to a straight red card and marked the game’s turning point. From that moment on, Turkey controlled the match. As a result, Wales finished second to last in their group and will have a difficult time making it to the play-offs to qualify for Euro 2024 next year.
During Friday’s 4-2 loss in Cardiff, Kieffer Moore was shown a red card following a fight with the Armenian goalie. This is the second game in which Wales has received a red card. Brennan Johnson, a forward for Nottingham Forest, began the game for Wales in the false nine positions in place of the suspended Kieffer Moore. Johnson broke Turkey’s offside trap but shot well wide from a tight angle. Zeki Celik, however, quickly quiet the Red Wall by breaking down the right and sending an innocuous ball into the six-yard box, where Mepham misplaced his feet and deposited the ball in his own net.
Celik appeared to be offside, but when the referee gave it four minutes of consideration, doubts were raised. Strangely, referee Fabio Maresca was instructed to examine the offside call at the monitor. It turned out that the typical channels for doing so were not open, forcing the official to take the challenge on a quick glance. Wales was relieved when Maresca disallowed the goal, but by the end of the half, the guy in the center would turn out to be the villain. Ferdi Kadioglu was tackled by Morrell after a Wales corner was cleared to him, much to the chagrin of the visitors. Maresca brandished the red card.
Turkey had 69 percent of the ball in the first half but produced little even with their man advantage. While Wales watched a Dan James free-kick harmlessly sail over the bar, they had their greatest opportunity late in the half when Orkun Kokcu stung Danny Ward’s hands. After halftime, Wales replaced Johnson with Ben Cabango to form a back five, but it was they who came dangerously close to taking the lead in Samsun early on in the action-packed half. Harry Wilson’s effort caused Mert Gunok, the custodian for Turkey, to make a fingertip save after the visitors obtained a free kick about 30 yards from the net.
Turkey had trouble creating opportunities, but the game was transformed when Guler entered the game at the hour mark. Three minutes after coming in, Aaron Ramsey was severely ruled to have handled when blocking a cross at the byline, giving the hosts a penalty. But Danny Ward was able to stop Hakan Calhaloglu’s potent penalty, and an even greater Turkish assault was still to come.
For the second game that night, VAR prevented Turkey from scoring when Nayir tapped in, but the technology determined that he had handled while handling a rebounding shot. Nayir then rose over three opponents to nod the ball into the far corner. Ward managed to get a nice hand on the ball but was unable to stop it. It was two after eight minutes. Guler caught the ball at a distance of about 20 yards and reached Ward’s top corner. The Wales goalie looked helpless, yet many inquiries will be made on how Rob Page gets the best out of this team.
“The challenge of traveling to Turkey with 11 men is daunting enough. I think we played pretty well up until the dismissal. We had a defensive strategy before the game, and the lads executed it flawlessly. We only had to defend the box and annoy them after the red card. We continued till we achieved our aim,” Wales manager Rob Page said. “We played the ball pretty well, in my opinion. We truly presented a threat when Harry Wilson and Aaron Ramsey, our two eights, grabbed the ball. Our final ball when we reach those pockets can be better, but we’re still working on it.”
For more football scores, click here
