Sports Mole previews Friday’s Nations League clash between Wales and Turkey, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Beginning the Craig Bellamy era at Cardiff City Stadium, Wales will host Turkey in their first UEFA Nations League fixture of the season on Friday evening.
While Wales were relegated from League A last time around, their visitors were promoted from the third tier before reaching the last eight at Euro 2024.
Match preview
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Following a dismal group-stage exit at Qatar 2022, Wales seem to have lost their way, finishing rock-bottom of their last Nations League group with just one point from six games and then failing to qualify for the European Championship.
After losing a penalty shootout to Poland in the Euro 2024 playoffs, former boss Rob Page saw his reign end ignominiously, with a couple of embarrassing results in his team’s summer friendlies.
Hot on the heels of a humbling goalless draw with Gibraltar, Page’s time as Wales head coach drew to a close after losing 4-0 to Slovakia, and Craig Bellamy was appointed in July, despite having no senior management experience.
Having missed out on playing at a major finals during a 78-cap Wales career, the former Newcastle United striker has set his sights on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, but first he must face a double-header to kick off a new Nations League campaign.
A second Group 4 game in quick succession will take the Dragons to Montenegro on Monday, and Iceland are their other opponents in the fight for promotion back to the top tier – or perhaps to avoid relegation.
UEFA’s new format will see group winners go straight up, while second place secures a promotion playoff and third means a relegation playoff; finishing last results in automatic demotion to League C.
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Therefore, the stakes are already high as Turkey return to the Welsh capital, where head coach Vincenzo Montella will meet a new man in the dugout but some familiar faces elsewhere.
Wales and Turkey have met in both of the last two Euro qualifiers, with the Crescent-Stars posting two wins and one loss across those four matches – most recently drawing 1-1 in Cardiff less than 10 months ago.
Montella’s men are fresh from an exciting adventure at the Euros, where an eventful escape from the group phase was followed by a 2-1 defeat of Austria in the last 16, which saw the perennial dark horses charge into the latter stages.
However, letting a lead slip in their quarter-final and losing 2-1 to the Netherlands finally sent Turkey home, having revelled in huge expatriate support throughout Germany.
Montella has stayed on to oversee qualification for the next World Cup, with a talented crop of forwards to help him: Kenan Yildiz and Arda Guler both belied their tender age at Euro 2024, and the pair are all set to star in this season’s Nations League.
Wales form (all competitions):
Turkey form (all competitions):
Team News
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While Cardiff City midfielder Aaron Ramsey will remain Wales captain, Craig Bellamy has already made several changes, notably naming Leeds United goalkeeper Karl Darlow in his first squad.
With Wayne Hennessey injured and Tom King not selected, Darlow is one of two uncapped players called up, alongside left-back Owen Beck, who recently joined Blackburn Rovers on loan from Liverpool.
Midfielders Joe Morrell and Rubin Colwill were also left out, while Dan James and Wes Burns have both been sidelined by hamstring injuries.
Meanwhile, Turkey will be without injured Brighton & Hove Albion new boy Ferdi Kadioglu, in addition to dropped duo Yunus Akgun and Yusuf Yazici, the latter of whom is still without a club after leaving Lille.
Bertug Yildirim and Merih Demiral must serve suspensions following events at Euro 2024, but Vincenzo Montella has most of his first-choice players available.
Therefore, 90-cap skipper Hakan Calhanoglu should start in midfield, with Kenan Yildiz and Arda Guler supporting Baris Yilmaz up front.
Wales possible starting lineup:
Ward; Mepham, Rodon, Davies; Roberts, James, Ampadu, Williams; Ramsey, Johnson; Moore
Turkey possible starting lineup:
Gunok; Muldur, Ayhan, Bardakci, Elmali; Yokuslu, Calhanoglu; Yildiz, Kokcu, Guler; B. Yilmaz
We say: Wales 1-2 Turkey
For his first match in charge, Craig Bellamy could not come up against much tougher opponents at League B level, and his time as Wales boss may start with a loss: Turkey’s attack is fearsome, while the Dragons have lost some of their roar.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
