Turkey Shock in Belgium: "We Didn't Know What Hit Us"

Turkey's national team lost 2-1 to Belgium in their first UEFA Nations League match under Sergen Yalçın. The result also caused a big stir in the Belgian press.

De Morgen wrote that after Kevin De Bruyne levelled the score at 1-1 with a goal in the 26th minute, he did not celebrate. Instead, he stared at the ground and shook his head in displeasure. According to the paper, Belgium's failure to exert pressure in the first 26 minutes, their problems with energy and in transition attacks, and their defensive display were a disaster. Belgians were stunned by Turkey's pressure and did not know what had hit them.

De Standaard described the atmosphere at the 20,000-capacity Gürsel Aksel Stadium as a boiling cauldron that felt like hell. The paper said that the passionate fans and the atmosphere created by new head coach Sergen Yalçın pushed Belgium hard in the first half. It was reported that in midfield, Nicolas Raskin struggled against Arda Güler and had to commit pushing fouls to stop him.

Het Nieuwsblad stressed that the victory in İzmir did not come easily. Jeremy Doku's explosiveness in attack, Senne Lammens's towering performance in goal, and Nathan Ngoy's resistance in defense brought the win. The paper wrote that to win in İzmir, they had practically had to put their bodies on the line.

Voetbalfocus reported that with this 2-1 win, Belgium had guaranteed their place in the A League and escaped the relegation play-outs. Turkey, on the other hand, were said to be anchored at the bottom of the table with 0 points after Sergen Yalçın's first match, facing the danger of being relegated directly to the B League.