Turkey and Wales face off in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Wednesday, as the second round of Euro 2020 group matches gets underway.
Wales find themselves second in Group A, having registered a 1-1 draw with Switzerland in their opening games.
On the flip side, Turkey sit rock bottom of the group following a 3-0 defeat to Italy on the opening night of the tournament.
Back on the grass 😄#WAL | #EURO2020 | #TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/FdwCF64RHJ— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) June 14, 2021
Back on the grass 😄#WAL | #EURO2020 | #TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/FdwCF64RHJ
Turkey managed to hold out until the 53rd minute against Italy, although they were ultimately outclassed in their first match.
Following an unfortunate Merih Demiral own goal, Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne completed the scoring for the Italians.
Not only did Turkey see just 36% possession against Italy, but they also failed to register a single shot on target.
Still, let’s not forget that Friday’s defeat was Turkey’s first loss in seven matches in all competitions (four wins, two draws).
With the game against the Italians in the past, Turkey will be confident of enjoying more success against Wales.
Speaking of the Welsh, Rob Page’s men went behind against Switzerland on Saturday but managed to come away with a precious point.
Breel Embolo put the Swiss ahead on 49 minutes before Kieffer Moore’s 74th-minute strike earned Wales and important draw.
Despite facing 18 shots, Wales managed to hold on to claim a point. Page’s side also saw just 35% of the ball, yet the managed to convert one of their two attempts on target.
Looking at the bigger picture, Wales have only lost two of their previous 11 outings in all competitions (five wins, four draws).
Having sealed an impressive draw against Switzerland, the Welsh will fancy their chances of troubling Turkey.
Head-to-head: Turkey and Wales have faced each other six times over the years, although the last meeting came all the way back in 1997.
Remarkably, Turkey crushed Wales 6-4 on that occasion. However, Wales have beaten Turkey twice before.
Team news: Neither side picked up any injuries in their opening match. That said, Turkey will be tempted to switch things up after their heavy loss to Italy.
Given that Turkey looked seriously weak against Italy, Wales could be strong enough to overcome the Cresent-Stars.
Forebet predicts that Wales will claim a narrow victory over Turkey on Wednesday. A clean sheet is also on the cards for Page’s men.