Cymru’ Euro 2024 Qualification Hopes Diminish as Turkey Secures Victory
IN A VALIANT display marred by adversity, Cymru succumbed to a demoralising defeat against Turkey in their Euro 2024 qualifying match. The game, played amidst an unforgiving atmosphere, quickly unraveled for Cymru, leading to a heartbreaking evening.
Turkey had an early goal disallowed, and their hopes were further dashed when Danny Ward, Cymru’ goalkeeper, made a superb save to deny Hakan Calhanoglu from the penalty spot in the second half. However, the hosts eventually found the back of the net through a smart header by substitute Umut Nayir in the 72nd minute. Adding insult to injury, another substitute, the highly-rated 18-year-old Fenerbahce forward Arda Guler, scored a wonderful bending effort from 25 yards, sealing Cymru’ fate.
Despite playing with ten men for over 60 minutes after Joe Morrell was shown a straight red card, Cymru fought valiantly. Ward’s heroic penalty save, awarded controversially for a handball by Aaron Ramsey, seemed to provide hope. However, Turkey remained relentless.
Nayir, who had a goal disallowed earlier, rose above Chris Mepham to powerfully head the ball past Ward, leaving the Welsh goalkeeper unable to prevent the ball from nestling into the corner of the net after it kissed a post. At the midway point of the qualifying campaign, Cymru currently sits fourth in Group D, behind Turkey, Armenia, and Croatia.
Cymru’ chances of reaching Euro 2024 now appear precarious at best. Manager Rob Page acknowledged that his team would likely need to secure maximum points from their remaining four matches to have any hope of qualifying for the tournament in Germany next summer. Cymru is set to face Latvia in September before hosting Croatia a month later.
“We’ve got to win every game now to give ourselves a chance, that’s got to be the mentality,” expressed Page. “It has been a frustrating camp but there have been so many lessons to learn.”
The defeat proved costly for Cymru, as Kieffer Moore missed the match due to suspension following a petulant kick on the Armenia goalkeeper. Additionally, Morrell’s dismissal for a naive high challenge on Turkey’s Ferdi Kadioglu only added to their woes.
Cymru had to endure a hostile atmosphere, with the partisan crowd making their feelings evident after Morrell’s tackle. Turkey’s substitutes poured out from the bench, amplifying the tension in the technical area.
Page hoped for a reaction from his squad, but the uphill battle became even steeper after the red card. “Even with 11 players, it was going to be a big ask, but before the sending-off, I thought we matched them,” remarked Page.
The memories of Cymru’ previous trip to Turkey, 26 years ago for a World Cup qualifier, resurfaced. The team bus was targeted with bricks, forcing the players to emerge for the warmup protected by riot shields. The encounter culminated in a topsy-turvy 6-4 defeat for Cymru.
Arriving in Samsun, located on the Black Sea, Cymru faced criticism following their embarrassing loss to Armenia, which marked their first defeat in a home European Championship qualifier in 12 years.
While Turkey dominated possession, the numerical advantage seemed to weigh heavily on them in the second half. Cymru nearly stunned the increasingly restless home crowd with a close attempt at scoring an opener when Dan James was cynically taken out by Merih Demiral.
A gasp of anticipation filled the stadium as Harry Wilson stepped up to take the ensuing free-kick from over 35 yards away. Wilson’s left-foot strike arced towards the top corner, but Turkey’s goalkeeper, Mert Gunok, managed to claw the ball to safety, frustrating Cymru’ hopes.
The Turkish fans jeered whenever Cymru approached their 18-yard area, but the real drama unfolded within Cymru’ own penalty box. Calhanoglu’s penalty miss and Nayir’s close-range finish being disallowed after a VAR review left Cymru momentarily hopeful of securing an unlikely point against all odds. However, Nayir and Guler shattered those hopes, ensuring victory for Turkey.
