Belgium Beat Turkiye 2-1 in Izmir as De Bruyne and De Ketelaere Complete Comeback

Belgium beat Turkiye 2-1 away at Gursel Aksel Stadium in Izmir on Thursday, Nov 12, 2026, in the UEFA Nations League. Kevin De Bruyne and Charles De Ketelaere scored three minutes apart in the first half after Arda Guler had given Turkiye the lead, and the result kept Belgium's quarter-final hopes alive in League A Group A1 while confirming Turkiye's relegation.

Arda Guler gave Turkiye the lead in the 20th minute. The Real Madrid playmaker bent a left-footed free kick into the top corner from about 30 yards, and the stadium in Izmir rose to the goal. It was the bright start Sergen Yalcin wanted in his first game in charge of Turkiye, after Vincenzo Montella was dismissed, but the lead lasted only seven minutes.

Two goals in three minutes turn it around

Jeremy Doku was the man who changed the match. He beat Oguz Aydin down the left and crossed for Kevin De Bruyne, who finished first time to equalise in the 27th minute. Doku attempted 15 dribbles in the match, seven of them successful, and he was involved again three minutes later when Belgium took the lead.

The second goal came in the 30th minute. Diego Moreira saw an effort saved, and Maxim De Cuyper collected the loose ball and delivered it across. Charles De Ketelaere finished from close range to put Belgium 2-1 ahead. Turkiye had led for seven minutes. Belgium needed three to turn the match around, and the visitors held that lead to the end.

Belgium hold on to nine points

The win lifted Belgium to nine points in Group A1 after five rounds. Only the top two in each League A group reach the quarter-finals, so Belgium still need a result on the final day. They host Italy in Brussels on Sunday in the last round of the group, and the game will decide whether Belgium go through.

De Bruyne's goal was the centre of the night. He has played with Doku at Manchester City, and the pair combined again here, with Doku doing the work down the left and De Bruyne arriving to finish. The captain's finish was clean and hard, and it steadied Belgium after Guler had put them behind.

Turkiye finish bottom and drop down

Turkiye remain bottom of Group A1 with no points from five matches. They have lost all five of their group games, and they are relegated from League A. They close their campaign away to France on Sunday, with nothing left to play for in the group.

Yalcin's first match in charge ended in defeat, but his side had given Belgium a real test in the first 20 minutes. Guler's free kick was the best goal of the night, and it gave Turkiye something to build on. Belgium's reply was too fast, and Turkiye could not find a way back in the second half.

De Bruyne praised Guler after the match. He said the Real Madrid star is one of the best players in the world, according to Sportskeeda, which reported his post-match comments. Guler scored the opener and set the tone early. De Bruyne and De Ketelaere then scored the goals that settled the match, and Belgium left Izmir with the three points that keep their quarter-final hopes alive.