(Reuters) – Turkey moved top of Euro 2024 qualifying Group D with a hard-earned 2-0 home victory against 10-man Wales on Monday despite missing a penalty and having two goals ruled out by VAR.
A late header by Mehmet Umut Nayir and a superb curled effort by fellow substitute Arda Guler finally cracked Welsh resistance in Samsun to put Turkey top with nine points from four games.
Wales, who were surprisingly beaten at home by Armenia last week, are fourth with four points.
Turkey were denied an early opener when Zeki Celik’s low cross was put into his own goal by Chris Mepham but VAR came to the rescue of the visitors.
Wales were reduced to 10 men in the 41st minute when Joe Morrell lunged in on Ferdi Kadioglu with his studs showing.
Turkey were frustrated again when Inter Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu had a 64th-minute penalty kept out by Wales keeper Danny Ward and minutes later Nayir scored from a rebound but had his effort ruled out for offside.
Turkey persisted and Nayir rose high in the 72nd minute and although Ward got a hand to his header he could not prevent the ball from going into the net.
Fellow substitute Guler then made sure with a superb left-footed shot into the top corner.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Clare Fallon)
