The breakthrough arrived courtesy of a slick combination between De Bruyne and Dodi Lukebakio. After exchanging a sharp one-two, De Bruyne found space on the edge of the penalty area and dispatched a composed finish to break the deadlock. Despite the lead, Belgium faced sustained pressure from the Turkish side, who remained dangerous throughout the encounter in Liege but ultimately failed to find a way past the Belgian defense.
De Bruyne and Lukaku Seal Dominant Belgian Display
As the match progressed, De Bruyne doubled his personal tally and his team's advantage with a moment of individual brilliance. The playmaker curled a precise effort from the edge of the box, leaving Turkey goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir helpless as the ball nestled into the top corner. The victory was rounded off by Romelu Lukaku, who had entered the fray as a substitute for Lukebakio.
The veteran striker capitalized on a low delivery from Charles De Ketelaere, managing to squeeze the ball past Cakir from close range to complete the scoring. The result leaves Belgium just one point behind Group A1 leaders France, while Turkey remains winless after three matches in the competition.
France Stalled by Italy as Other Nations League Ties Conclude
Elsewhere in Group A1, France’s momentum was checked by Italy in a 1-1 draw. Michael Olise had put Zinedine Zidane’s side ahead in the 55th minute, marking the first time Les Bleus had conceded under the former World Cup winner’s tenure. However, Alessandro Bastoni struck back for Italy to deny the hosts a victory in Zidane’s first home game as manager.
In other notable results, Robert Lewandowski spearheaded a 6-0 rout for Poland against Romania in League B, Group 4, while Northern Ireland secured a 3-0 win over Ukraine in a match played in Trnava. League C action saw Cyprus defeat Armenia 2-0, Montenegro edge past Latvia 2-1, and Moldova claim a 2-1 victory over Kazakhstan.
