Arda Güler opened the scoring with a free kick in Izmir before Belgium secured a 1-2 victory against Turkey on Thursday, November 13, 2026, in the UEFA Nations League.
The match in Izmir marked the first time Sergen Yalçın sat on the bench as Turkey’s new head coach, following the dismissal of Vincenzo Montella, as reported by NOS.
Real Madrid star Güler beat Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a curling effort to put the hosts ahead.
Belgium previously defeated Turkey 3-0 in Brussels back in October, setting expectations for another controlled evening. Instead, Mark van Bommel’s side fell behind early before turning the fixture around on foreign soil.
De Bruyne and De Ketelaere Score for Belgium
Kevin De Bruyne leveled the score in the 27th minute following a strong build-up play by Jérémy Doku. Just three minutes later, Charles De Ketelaere fired Belgium into the lead at 1-2 after receiving an assist from Maxim De Cuyper, according to NOS.
De Bruyne addressed transfer speculation regarding PSV Eindhoven after the final whistle.
“We shall see,” said Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium midfielder, when asked about PSV by AD.nl with a smile he could not suppress.
Turkey pressed for an equalizer as the match stretched into the second half. Lammens, who plays for Manchester United, saved a shot during stoppage time to deny Hakan Çalhanoğlu and preserve the narrow victory.
Van Bommel Applauds Defense
“Top defender,” said Mark van Bommel, Belgium head coach, describing his backline to De Telegraaf while remaining critical of defensive lapses during the comeback win. Expert analyst Stephan Vandenbempt awarded a rare 11 out of 10 rating to a standout performer in the Belgian squad, pointing out both the positive nature of the evening and a few remaining tactical vulnerabilities, according to Sporza.
Belgium now prepares to host Italy on Sunday, November 15, 2026, in Brussels. Meanwhile, France will travel to face Turkey on the same matchday to finalize the quarterfinal qualification spots in Group A of Division 1, as detailed by NOS.
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