On video: from the halfway line, a miraculous goal by Guler against Belgium!
Turkey's clash with their guests Belgium, played this Thursday evening at the Gürsel Aksel Stadium, produced early excitement in the fifth round of the group stage of the UEFA Nations League.
Real Madrid's Arda Güler put Turkey ahead in the 20th minute with a superb long-range free-kick, handing the hosts a major boost.
Belgium hit back fast. Veteran Kevin De Bruyne levelled in the 27th minute, before Charles De Ketelaere turned the game around four minutes later with a 31st-minute strike.
The match matters hugely for Turkey, their first competitive test under new coach Sergen Yalçın. He succeeded Italian Vincenzo Montella, who left his post following the poor start to the team's campaign in the tournament.
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Turkey had endured a miserable opening four games in Group One, in the top tier of the UEFA Nations League. They lost 1-0 to France, then 4-1 to Italy, before a 3-0 defeat to Belgium and another loss to Italy, this time 3-1.
Those results left Turkey rock bottom of the group without a point, having shipped 11 goals and scored only two. The pressure piled on the previous coaching staff and ultimately cost Montella his job.
Yalçın wants to restore balance to the side, drawing on a crop of young talents led by Real Madrid's Güler, one of the team's most prominent attacking threats. He has the experienced Hakan Çalhanoğlu of Inter Milan alongside him.
Belgium arrive with different ambitions. They want to strengthen their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds, having claimed two wins from their first four matches against two defeats to France.
Coach Marc van Bommel leans on a group of experienced players, chief among them Napoli's De Bruyne and Youri Tielemans, alongside Jérémy Doku, back in the squad after recovering from injury.
History adds weight to this clash. When the two sides last met on 2 October, Belgium ran out 3-0 winners with De Bruyne at the heart of it, scoring twice in the 10th and 60th minutes, before Romelu Lukaku added the third.
Turkey, then, are looking to put that right against Belgium and end their run of negative results in the tournament. The visitors want the three points to stay in the hunt for a qualification ticket.
This edition of the UEFA Nations League means something extra for Turkey, competing in the top tier for the first time in their history after promotion from the second tier. They landed in a brutal group featuring France, Italy and Belgium.
Belgium, meanwhile, are chasing a return to Europe's elite after finishing third in their group last time out. Turkey simply hope to avoid direct relegation from the top tier, a tall order after losing their opening four matches.
