Wales vs Turkiye predictions: Tough start in store for Bellamy
- Wales have failed to score in their last three matches
- Turkiye have scored in 18 of their last 20 away games
- Recommended bet: Turkiye to win
Craig Bellamy takes charge of his first game as Wales manager at Cardiff on Friday as he looks to pick the team up from the disappointment of missing the Euros and some poor recent friendly results.
Their opening Nations League game is against Turkiye, who reached the quarter-finals in Germany and represent a tough task for a team coming to terms with new management.
Team news
Bellamy has a series of issues at the top end of the pitch for his first match after Leeds wideman Daniel James was ruled out of this week’s matches with a hamstring injury.
David Brooks, Wes Burns and Nathan Broadhead are also unavailable for the hosts.
Turkiye are still missing defender Ozan Kabak as he continues his recuperation from a serious knee injury.
The stats
Wales have failed to score in their last three matches.
All of the previous three meetings against Turkiye have failed to generate more than two goals.
Wales have won just one of their last six games.
Turkiye have scored in 18 of their last 20 away games.
Both teams have scored in eight of Turkiye’s last 11 outings.
Over 2.5 goals has landed in each of Turkiye’s last six matches.
Prediction
Having made the last World Cup to end a 56-year exile from football’s biggest international competition, hopes were high that Wales had turned the corner, but they have slipped back after failing to make the Euros and new boss Bellamy has a lot of work to do to lift morale.
That could take some time after the embarrassment of being held to a goalless draw by Gibraltar and a 4-0 loss to Slovakia in Rob Page’s final two games at the helm and an opening Nations League game against Turkiye presents a tough task.
While Wales have been floundering, there was plenty of encouragement from Turkiye at the Euros as they forced their way to the quarter-finals before falling 2-1 to the Netherlands.
Vincenzo Montella’s side played some excellent attacking football in beating both Georgia and the Czech Republic in group matches and those results should stand them in good stead for seeing off a Welsh team who have posted just one victory in their last six matches.
They have scored in all but two of their last 20 away games and play without much fear so they represent a difficult examination and Bellamy may be left to reflect that it may not be an overnight transformation for Wales to turn the corner.
Win up to £1MILLION with LiveScore 6!
Win up to £1Million with our free-to-play game, LiveScore 6!
