Belgium demonstrated resilience and tactical efficiency on Thursday evening, coming from behind to secure a hard-fought 2–1 victory against Türkiye at the Gürsel Aksel Stadium in Izmir. The Group A1 UEFA Nations League encounter served as the baptism of fire for Sergen Yalçın, who was taking charge of the Turkish national team for the very first time following his appointment as head coach. While the hosts showed flashes of brilliance and offered a spirited display under new management, the defeat ultimately handed Türkiye their fifth consecutive loss in the current Nations League campaign, leaving them anchored to the bottom of the group without a single point.
The match began with high energy and an electrifying atmosphere as the passionate home crowd in Izmir roared their new manager on. Türkiye started the contest brightly, displaying an urgency and attacking intent that immediately tested the visiting Belgian defense. The early pressure paid handsome dividends in the 20th minute when Real Madrid’s young prodigy, Arda Güler, broke the deadlock in spectacular fashion. Awarded a free-kick some distance from the target, Güler stepped up and unleashed a magnificent, curling strike that sailed over the wall and dipped perfectly into the top-left corner of the net. Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens was left completely helpless as the ball flashed past him, sparking wild celebrations in the stands and giving Türkiye a dream start under their new coach.
However, the lead proved to be short-lived as Belgium swiftly recalibrated and brought their considerable technical quality to bear. Just seven minutes after falling behind, the visitors restored parity through veteran playmaker Kevin De Bruyne. The equalizer was engineered down the left flank by the explosive Jeremy Doku, who used his trademark pace and close control to breeze past Oğuz Aydın. Reaching the byline, Doku delivered a precise, low cross into the penalty area, where De Bruyne arrived on cue to steer a composed, first-time finish past the Turkish defense and into the goal. The swift response underscored the dangers of switching off against a seasoned Belgian side capable of punishing momentary lapses in concentration.
Momentum had firmly shifted by the half-hour mark as Belgium completed a rapid turnaround to seize control of the match. The sequence began when Diego Moreira tested Uğurcan Çakır with a sharp effort from distance. Çakır managed to parry the initial shot, but Maxim De Cuyper reacted quickest to collect the rebound. De Cuyper recycled the play effectively, setting up Charles De Ketelaere, who made no mistake from close range, turning the ball home to cap a chaotic phase of defending inside the Turkish box. The quick-fire double left the home side reeling after having controlled the opening exchanges.
As the first half drew to a close, Belgium comfortably managed the tempo, taking their hard-earned 2–1 advantage into the halftime interval. The psychological blow of conceding twice in quick succession clearly altered the complexion of the game, forcing Yalçın and his coaching staff to rethink their tactical approach for the second period as they sought a way back into the contest.
Looking to inject fresh momentum and experience into the side, Yalçın made his first tactical interventions in the 58th minute of the match. The Turkish head coach turned to his bench, introducing influential midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu and forward Deniz Gül to replace Orkun Kökçü and Enes Ünal respectively. The double substitution was designed to wrestle back control of the midfield and provide a sharper focal point in the final third.
Almost immediately following the tactical changes, the match threatened to swing further away from the hosts. Just a minute after the substitutions, De Ketelaere found a gap through the heart of the Turkish defense and broke clean through on goal. Only a sharp, decisive save from Çakır prevented the Belgian forward from extending his team’s lead and potentially putting the game out of reach, keeping Türkiye within striking distance as the hour mark approached.
Buoyed by the tactical adjustments and the urging of the home supporters, Türkiye began to tilt the pitch in their favor as the second half progressed. The hosts pressed relentlessly for an equalizer in the closing stages, throwing numbers forward and probing for openings in a resilient Belgian backline. The pressure nearly told in the 82nd minute when a slick, well-worked team move involving the creative combination of Arda Güler and Zeki Çelik unlocked the defense to set up Deniz Gül. However, Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial, reflex stop to deny the substitute and preserve his side’s narrow lead.
As the clock ticked down into stoppage time, Türkiye continued to commit players to the attack in a desperate bid to salvage a draw. In the second minute of added time, Hakan Çalhanoğlu carved out a golden opportunity inside the penalty area, letting fly with a powerful, goal-bound shot. Once again, however, Lammens proved to be an insurmountable obstacle, using his feet to brilliantly block the effort and extinguish the final remnants of the home side’s late surge.
The final whistle confirmed the 2–1 scoreline, sealing another frustrating evening for the Turkish national team. The defeat leaves Türkiye rooted to the bottom of the Group A1 standings, still searching for their first point after five grueling matches in the tournament. For Belgium, the victory represents an important three points on the road, lifting them temporarily into second place in the group with nine points to their name, ahead of the subsequent fixture between Italy and France. While Yalçın’s debut ended in disappointment result-wise, the flashes of individual brilliance from players like Arda Güler offer some foundation upon which the new head coach can attempt to rebuild in the fixtures ahead.