Penalty miss costs Türkiye as they draw 0-0 against Wales

The Turkish national football team, competing in the UEFA Nations League, was held to a 0-0 draw against Wales on Saturday evening at Kayseri Kadir Has Stadium.

The home side missed a critical opportunity late in the match when Kerem Aktürkoğlu struck the post from the penalty spot in the 88th minute, leaving Türkiye unable to secure three points.

The Turkish squad displayed several promising moments throughout the game. In the 79th minute, young talent Arda Guler narrowly missed a goal with a powerful shot that sailed over the crossbar.

Earlier, in the 33rd minute, Yunus Akgun failed to capitalize on a one-on-one chance after receiving a precise through ball from Akturkoglu, as Welsh goalkeeper Karl Darlow made a crucial save.

Disciplinary issues also marked the match. Defender Abdulkerim Bardakci received a yellow card in the 63rd minute, ruling him out of Türkiye’s next Nations League fixture.

The match began with high energy, but neither side managed to break the deadlock in the first half. After a goalless 45 minutes, Türkiye made a tactical change, substituting Hakan Calhanoglu for Ismail Yuksek at halftime.

The result continues Türkiye’s unbeaten streak against Wales in their last three encounters. The teams last met in September in Cardiff, where the game ended in another 0-0 draw.

Historically, Türkiye and Wales have shared notable matches, including a thrilling 6-4 victory for Türkiye in 1997. That match, played in Istanbul, remains the highest-scoring encounter between the two sides.

Türkiye will now focus on their upcoming fixtures as they aim to improve their standing in the UEFA Nations League.