Kevin De Bruyne opens, Arda Guler tests Lammens: Nations contrast

In the Nations League match between Belgium and Turkey on 2 October 2026 at the Sclessin Stadium in Liège, Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring in the tenth minute, while Arda Guler shot at goalkeeper Thomas Lammens twice, but neither found the net.

Opening and first goal

Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring in the tenth minute. He received the ball from Dodi Lukebakio, dribbled past Bardakci and struck the ball cleanly into the net. The goal was broadcast live via the UEFA programme as part of the Nations League LIVE feed, a significant moment for football. The Red Devils therefore took the lead.

Arda Guler came close shortly afterwards, testing goalkeeper Thomas Lammens twice. In the sixteenth minute he received a ball in the air, completed a volley and shot at Lammens, but the ball went wide. Three minutes later he dribbled past Tielemans, shot from a sharp angle and hit Lammens again. Neither attempt resulted in a goal.

Other chances and incidents

Bardakci tried to connect a header, but the ball went wide. Cakir saved the ball without difficulty. In the fifteenth minute Godts, De Bruyne and Van Aken combined, after which De Cuyper received the ball in the sixteenth, but he hesitated between a cross and a shot. De Ketelaere got stuck and could not create any danger.

Before the match, Turkey had not yet earned any points in the Nations League, while Belgium had suffered a recent defeat to France. Fifteen years ago the last meeting between the two nations ended in a 1‑1 draw, with a goal from Marvin Ogunjimi for Belgium and Burak Yilmaz for Turkey. The match coincided with the start of the Jupiler Pro League season, the Champions and Europa competitions, the Conference League actions and the Challenger Pro League, causing fans' attention to be divided. It was also mentioned in the sports programme overview, which listed Tennis and Formula 1.

Atmosphere and supporters

The Turkish supporters started whistling immediately when Belgium gained possession, creating a tense atmosphere. The Norwegian referee only issued a warning to Dodi Lukebakio, who escaped a potential yellow card. The match was broadcast, with additional sports news about tennis, Formula 1 and more, and was followed via the live stream. The broadcast was supported by extra statistics and analysis, giving viewers a complete picture of the game.

Van Bommel opted for a more attacking profile, together with Hans Van Aken, while Diego Moreira remained suspended and was not in the squad. Nathan Ngoy, a former Standard player, was mentioned as a former international, but did not play. Nicolas Raskin, with 96 caps, surprisingly sat on the bench.

The contrast between De Bruyne's early goal and Guler's repeated attempts on Lammens highlights the dynamics of the match and underscores the battle for the first points in this Nations League campaign.