Türkiye have conceded three goals inside 27 minutes in their last game. That is the problem Vincenzo Montella must fix as his side travel to Liège to face Belgium on Friday 2 October 2026 (kick-off 19:45 BST, Stade Maurice Dufrasne). Belgium are without Jeremy Doku, and Mark van Bommel has one win and one defeat from his first two games in charge.
Form & what’s at stake
Belgium have three points from two games. They won 2-0 at Italy on 25 September, with Godts scoring in the 20th minute and Lukébakio in the 69th, and then lost 1-0 at home to France on 28 September when Michael Olise scored with two minutes of normal time left. One good result and one bad one, and neither settled the argument about how good this team is.
Türkiye has none. They lost 1-0 to France at home on 25 September, with Mbappé scoring in the 54th minute, then 4-1 to Italy at home on 28 September. Bastoni scored in the ninth minute, Frattesi in the 22nd and Kayode in the 27th. Yılmaz replied in the 47th before Esposito made it four in the 50th. Türkiye have a goal difference of -4 and finished bottom of their group at the summer’s World Cup, according to a match preview.
Both teams play again on Monday 5 October: Belgium travel to France and Türkiye travel to Italy.
Team news & injuries
Belgium are missing Doku, Alexis Saelemaekers and Thomas Meunier through injury, and Romeo Lavia, who limped off ten minutes before the end against France, needs to be checked before he can be considered. Kevin De Bruyne is in the squad despite fitness struggles at Napoli, and Van Bommel has said he does not expect Romelu Lukaku to play all four games this window.
Türkiye get goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır back after a one-match suspension, and Abdülkerim Bardakcı and Ferdi Kadıoğlu could return to the defence. Diego Moreira is suspended. That hurts.
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Predicted line-ups
No confirmed XI was available at the time of writing.
Belgium: Van Bommel is likely to name De Bruyne if the medical staff allow it. Without Doku, the left side needs a replacement, and a Lavia doubt affects midfield balance. Lukaku is a candidate to start or come on.
Türkiye: Çakır returns in goal, and Bardakcı and Kadıoğlu could return to defence, a reshuffle after conceding four at home. Moreira’s suspension removes a key option.
The key battle
Türkiye’s back line against the first 30 minutes. Italy scored three times before the half-hour, in the 9th, 22nd and 27th minutes. Türkiye’s defence has been the difference between a competitive game and a heavy defeat, and with Çakır back in goal and Bardakcı and Kadıoğlu possible in front of him, they have to start better than the side that lost 4-1 if they want to take anything from Liège.
Prediction & tip
Türkiye have the quality to hurt Belgium on the break, but they have conceded five goals in two games and have not kept a clean sheet in the competition. Belgium are at home, and the visitors need a defensive plan they haven’t shown yet, so Belgium should win and score more than once. Van Bommel has the better squad.
Tip: Belgium win + over 1.5 goals. Predicted score: Belgium 2-0 Türkiye.
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