Wales 1-1 Turkey: Dragons head for Euro 2024 play-offs after being held in Cardiff as Yusuf Yazici's equaliser from the spot cancels out Neco Williams' early opener

For 36 minutes, Wales’ dream of qualifying for a 3rd consecutive awesome tourney was tantalisingly close.

Rob Page’s squad had taken an early lead against Turkey done Neco Williams and pinch Croatia still drafting 0-0 astatine location to Armenia, Wales were successful 2nd spot and heading for a spot astatine Euro 2024 adjacent summer.

Yet erstwhile nan Cardiff crowd learned Ante Budimir had fixed Croatia nan lead successful nan 43rd minute, nan bubble burst. Though Wales played well, nan occurrence did not pain arsenic brightly successful nan 2nd half and Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir made saves erstwhile it mattered earlier substitute Yusuf Yazici equalised from nan punishment spot pinch 20 minutes remaining. That was doubly galling for Wales, who should person had astatine slightest 1 spot-kick successful nan first half.

Croatia advancement automatically pinch Turkey to nan Finals successful Germany and Wales caput for nan play-offs adjacent March. The first of those matches will beryllium against Iceland, Finland aliases Ukraine astatine home, pinch nan victor to return connected Poland aliases Estonia astatine a venue to beryllium determined.

So disappointing successful nan 1-1 tie successful Armenia, Wales are a different proposition astatine location and against a Turkey broadside appearing to deficiency motivation, they had nan cleanable platform.

Nathan Broadhead was drafted into nan starting XI by Page and nan Ipswich guardant astir made an contiguous belief erstwhile he trim successful from nan near and fired conscionable wide.

Then from a akin position successful nan seventh minute, Williams put Wales ahead. After a neat operation betwixt Jordan James and Harry Wilson, nan Nottingham Forest man drove past Ferdi Kadioglu’s anemic situation and guided his effort into nan acold corner. The Cardiff crowd bellowed for joyousness and Page celebrated extravagantly too.

Just arsenic they had been for overmuch of nan triumph complete Croatia past month, Wales were dominant. They were quicker to nan shot and sharper successful their activity than Turkey, pinch nan 19-year-old James controlling nan lucifer brilliantly successful midfield.

Brennan Johnson was booked for impeding Abdulkerim Bardakci astatine a free-kick and past nan Tottenham man was highly unlucky not to beryllium awarded astatine slightest 1 penalty. 

In nan 26th infinitesimal thing was fixed erstwhile Samet Akaydin sent Johnson tumbling pinch a sliding challenge, and referee Matej Jug was unmoved 4 minutes later moreover though Akaydin shoved Johnson to nan level and made nary interaction pinch nan ball.

Soon aft nan half-hour Turkey made 2 substitutions arsenic their injured goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir was replaced by Altay Bayindir and Yusuf Yazici was sent connected for Albdulkadir Omur.

Though Wales were successful command, Turkey showed their threat erstwhile prima man Kerem Akturkoglu volleyed precocious and wide from a decent position astatine nan acold post. But Wales were still vulnerable and Bayindir did good to support retired Johnson’s deflected strike. By past spirits successful Cardiff had fallen a small level arsenic they learned Croatia had taken nan lead against Armenia.

The United No2 made different eye-catching involution early successful nan 2nd half erstwhile Johnson tested him pinch an angled drive. 

Danny Ward had had a quiet evening successful nan Wales extremity but kept his attraction good to parry Akaydin’s point-blank header, earlier astatine nan different extremity Ethan Ampadu steered Wilson’s transverse excessively adjacent to Bayindir. 

Then Wilson recovered himself successful nan measurement of Johnson’s effort from nan separator of nan area and that chance was mislaid too.

Page was already ticking that his squad had not been fixed a punishment successful nan first half and he reached boiling constituent erstwhile Turkey earned 1 for a acold milder situation by Ben Davies connected substitute Kenan Yildiz. Yazici sent Ward nan incorrect measurement from nan spot and Wales had to settee for nan play-offs. 

To adhd reproach to injury, Connor Roberts was booked aft nan last whistle erstwhile some sets of players tussled concisely pinch coaches and substitutes besides involved.