Wales are heading to the Euro 2024 play-offs after drawing 1-1 with Turkey on a dramatic night in Cardiff.
Neco Williams’ seventh-minute goal – his third for Wales – offered hope they could bridge the two-point gap between them and Croatia for the second automatic qualifying spot.
But Yusuf Yazici’s controversial penalty 20 minutes from time – awarded after Wales had three stronger spot-kick appeals rejected – handed Turkey a share of the spoils and the point required to top Group D.
In the end, Yazici’s leveller did not matter in denying Wales qualification as Croatia kept their side of the bargain by beating Armenia 1-0 at home.
Wales go into the March play-offs where a home semi-final against Finland, Iceland and Ukraine awaits.
Thursday’s draw will determine who Wales will play, with Poland and Estonia contesting the other semi-final.
Wales had lost control of their destiny by drawing in Armenia on Saturday, with a performance that was as poor as the result.
Boss Rob Page reacted to that disappointment by making three changes, one of which was enforced with Chris Mepham suspended and Luton defender Tom Lockyer making his first competitive appearance for Wales since September 2021.
Brennan Johnson and Nathan Broadhead were also introduced on the back of Wales’ makeweight attack in Yerevan.
Turkey skipper Hakan Calhanoglu, the Inter Milan midfielder, was absent through illness but Vincenzo Montella had started his managerial reign with three victories – including taking the scalps of Croatia and Germany – and their travelling support was as noisy as ever.
Wales showed an intensity that was missing in Yerevan as Broadhead seized on a mistake and curled wide of the far post.
But Wales did not have to wait long for the breakthrough as Harry Wilson found Williams in space on the left.
Williams cut inside on his favoured right foot and with perfect placement found the corner of Ugurcan Cakir’s net from 16 yards.
Turkey were visibly rattled, losing Lockyer at a corner and letting discipline slip with some unnecessary shoving as tempers threatened to boil over.
Wales had no fewer than three penalty appeals in a frantic nine-minute spell.
Wilson went down in a tangle of legs with with Abdulkerim Bardakci and Johnson was floored by a sliding Samet Akaydin tackle when the defender did not make contact with the ball.
Akaydin then flattened Johnson from behind in a crowded goalmouth, the challenge somehow escaping the notice of Slovenian referee Matej Jug and VAR.
Turkey sent on Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir for the injured Cakir and fashioned their first opening three minutes before the interval when Kerem Akturkoglu fired over.
Bayindir was forced into action from Johnson, who was proving far more lively than his limp second-half showing in Armenia.
Johnson brought another full-stretch stop from Bayindir after the break, but Turkey should have been level after 58 minutes.
Akaydin met an Akturkoglu corner from six yards but planted his header straight at Danny Ward in the Wales goal.
Ethan Ampadu saw his header held by Bayindir before Turkey equalised in contentious circumstances.
Ben Davies was adjudged to have fouled Kenan Yildiz, an incredibly soft decision that was capitalised on by Yazici in nonchalant fashion. It was Turkey’s first goal in four visits to Wales.
Yusuf Sari skimmed the Wales crossbar and Johnson had the ball in the net from an offside position.
There were heated scenes at the final whistle and a rash of yellow cards.
Wales had extended their unbeaten run to six games, but that will be of scant consolation as the disappointment of missing out on automatic qualification sinks in.
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
