Wales 1-0 Turkey – Euro 2024 qualifier LIVE: Dragons lead through Neco Williams’ early strike but need Armenia to do them a favour in Croatia

And that’s that for the first half.

It’s been a good performance so far for Wales, but it’ll all be in vain if Armenia don’t do them a favour and equalise in Croatia.

Wilson leaves it for Broadhead, but it is a bit of a shocker, flying over every head in the box and out for a throw.

Wales will have a chance to double the lead before the break with a free-kick from a dangerous area out on the right.

Wilson wins it and he’ll take it…

We’ve got four more minutes added on here, much of that down to Cakir’s injury.

Wales just need to see this one out, before Page gets a chance to give them a word or two.

They’ve played well, but it’s all out of their hands.

Well… Wales might be winning here, but there’s been some bad news from Zagreb.

Ante Budimir has put Croatia 1-0 up, meaning the result here won’t much matter.

It’s been a slow start, but Turkey are finishing the half the stronger.

They’re getting plenty of possession inside Welsh territory, and go from right to left, and back to the right before their first real chance of the game.

The ball is swung in from the right to find Akturkoglu inside the box.

His first touch is brilliant out of his feet, but he can’t hit the target from about 10 yards, and it goes harmlessly out for a goal kick.

Yazici is getting on the ball a fair amount already, and sparks another nice little counter-attack.

Once again the cross is well-defended and Ampadu can get it clear, but it looks to be a different prospect for Wales to deal with.

Rodon shepherds the ball out into touch and picks up a bit of a nudge from a frustrated Yilmaz for his troubles, but the defender doesn’t bite.

Just five to play in this half now, can the hosts see it out?

So that sub for Turkey has brought another attacking midfielder in, and they already look a little bit more incisve going forward.

Yazici looks to get involved early on, but his cross is deflected straight into Ward’s hands.

Wales win a free-kick and Wilson and Williams stand over it about 40 yards out slightly to the left of the centre.

Wilson floats it to Davies inside the box, but he can’t head it down to a team-mate.

Wales are on top now, but just the one goal to show for it thus far.

Well after that surprise double swap there’s a corner to deal with for Bayindir, and he does just that!

Punches clear and Wales will have to start from the back.

As they look to play out it comes off the ref, and we’ll have a drop ball.

It’s all happening now!

Well now, Cakir is down and can’t continue, so Man United’s Bayindir will come on.

But it looks like there’s a tactical switch also coming, with Yazici taking to the field for Abdulkadir

Well there was a VAR check, and it looked like a fairly straight-forward decision for a spot-kick, but alas no dice for Wales!

Wilson again stands over the corner, but i’s not so effective and Turkey defend.

Wales call for another penalty after a foul on Johnson in the melee, but so far nothing given, just another corner…

It’s not the biggest rivalry in international football, but there is some bite growing into this one.

A few bitty fouls turning into something a touch more, and a fair few pantomime crowd roars at a tackle on the hosts.

Johnson again gets joy latching onto the long ball as he runs at the defence, and it’s worked really well for Wales at the moment.

The two Turkish centre backs can’t cover the ground, and the full abcks have pushed high up the pitch – it could become a real danger for the visitors going forward.

Another corner for the hosts, and it’s Wilson to take.

In it comes to the back post, but Turkey defend well, and James’ volley on the follow-up is wild and off target.

Williams loses a one-on-one with Sari out on the right, but doesn’t get the foul which absolutely incenses the home supporters.

Turkey do get the corner, but it’s a poor one, and Wales are hardly troubled on the follow-up cross.

The visitors are getting numbers in the box, however, but as yet they are yet to find anyone in there.

Well now, there are screams from the hosts for a penalty as Wilson is hauled down on the edge of the box, but the referee waves play one.

There’s a bit of a faff afterwards, and Johnson picks up a yellow for telling the Turkish defence exactly what he thought of the foul.

Cakir is back up on his feets and it looks like he’ll be able to carry on for now.

Turkey have won all their away games so far in this campaign – will Page’s side be bucking that trend tonight?

They’ve certainly got off to the perfect start.

They may not be having all the ball, but Wales are definitely edging the 50-50s and one-on-ones and that can be a real indicator.

The Turkish keeper Cakir is asking for some treatment now, and it looks like he’s hurt his knee in that earlier challenge from Davies.

Up come the big fellas for the first corner of the game to Wales.

It comes out to Lockyer at the back post, and it’s knocked back into the danger area but a Turkish head sticks it behind for another corner.

This one though comes straight to the goalkeeper, who picks up the foul after Davies clatters into him.

Well other than the all important stat, Turkey have dominated the ball.

The visitors have had close to 70 per cent of it so far in this one, but they’re more often than not being forced into the long ball or a tricky pass through the lines.

Thus far, Wales have dealt with both well.

We’ve already entered ‘as it stands’ territory on comms by the way.

It is Wales going through automatically at this point, with Croatia 0-0 against Armenia.

We are just 11 minutes in, however.

Well Turkey have a chance to strike back immediately.

The visitors win a free-kick after a sloppy challenge from Ampadu about 30 yards out, but the cross is poor and hardly beats the first man.

Wilson picks it up and drives Wales right into the heart of the opponent’s half before being dispossessed.

WILLIAMS with the goal!

Well after a cagey start with possession exchanging hands in midfield, Williams lashes the hosts in front.

Williams picks up the ball to the left of the box, cuts in and curls it delightfully into the bottom right corner on his favoured right foot!

Brilliant start from the hosts!

Broadhead gets the first real shot of the game.

It’s a poor pass in midfield from Turkey, and with bodies committed forward, Broadhead snaffles it up takes a few strides towards goal before letting fly, but it sails wide of the post.

That’ll brighten up some moods around the ground.

Ben Davies called into action early on at left-back to mop up some pressure from Sari, but of course does so with little bother.

It’s a relatively hushed Cardiff City Stadium to kick things off despite that anthem, perhaps that’s the nerves talking!

Cagey stuff early on.

The hosts get us going and we’re underway in Cardiff!

Well there’s not many anthems with the rousing impact of Wales’ that’s for sure – maybe Italy and France.

There’s a call from the PA for the Red Wall to ‘sing loud and proud’ – don’t think they needed much more encouragement.

The backing instruments cut out very early, but you wouldn’t have noticed as the Cardiff City Stadium pelts it out with enough noise to cause something of a geological stir.

Both sides have sung their anthems, and it’s game time!

Wales have become something of a regular feature at the Euros – can they book their return tonight?

The visiting subs make their way out now, with Soyuncu – left on the bench for Turkey – across to greet his former team-mate at Leicester Ward, who will be in goal for Wales tonight.

Now the Turkish players emerge, and we’re ready to walk out into the lights…

There’s a very funky lights show going on in Cardiff as the lighting manager puts on a bit of a display for the fans in the ground.

The hosts are already waiting in the tunnel, with Ben Davies at the head of the queue ready and raring to go.

Turkey still yet to be seen in the tunnel…

So Wales have failed to thrill on a regular basis in this qualifying campaign, despite currently being unbeaten in five games.

Just the nine goals scored from seven games, and nine conceded too tells you a lot – a little leaky at the back and a little lack-lustre up front.

There’s a pretty jam-packed ground roaring the hosts on tonight – as well as plenty of visiting fans – and you know just how passionate a Welsh fanbase can be.

Could they prove the difference?

And as a final bit of prep for this one, here’s a link to Wales’ last match against Armenia, where they suffered that bitter blow to automatic qualification dreams.

Check out TOM COLLOMOSSE’S report from Yerevan from Saturday night below…

So a reminder for anyone just joining us…

Wales need a win, but they also will be casting a nervous eye over to Croatia, where Luka Modric and Co will be taking on Armenia.

Turkey can qualify top with a point, and currently occupy first place, with Croatia in second.

Should the favourites in that game drop points, then it opens the door for Wales to book their own seat on the plane to germany next summer.

There is of course the play-offs to fall back on, but Page will not want to be relying on that overly.

Not too long to go now until kick-off here in Cardiff!

Here’s a cheeky look at the hosts as they arrived earlier on tonight.

Meanwhile Turkey need just a point to go top of the group, and will be surely looking to make it a professional performance tonight to finish on a high.

Manager Vincenzo Montella has come in to oversee things since Stefan Kuntz – who was in charge for the reverse fixture in June – left his post, and was adamant his side were in town to take top spot and no less.

‘We have come all this way to Cardiff prepared,” Montella said.

‘We have come here top of this group and that is the way we want to finish it.

‘We want to maintain this leadership and we are focused on what we have to do, show our standing and our performance levels.’

Euro 2024 fever is in full swing, with the tournament’s automatic qualifying phase set to conclude on Tuesday evening.

Monday marked a year since the Qatar World Cup got underway, but we are now just seven months away from the next major international action in Germany next summer.

Gareth Southgate‘s England qualified with ease after going unbeaten, while several other of the usual suspects such as France and Portugal also achieved their place without any blips.

Check out more on that one below…

A few fan shots from around the ground tonight…

And here’s how the visitors will be lining up…

4-1-4-1: Çakir; Kadioglu, Akaydin, Bardakci, Özkacar; Yüksek; Sari, Ömür, Özcan, Aktürkoglu; Yilmaz

Substitutes: Günok, Çelik, Söyüncü, Özdemir, Kahveci, Yazici, Bayindir, Elmali, Kabak, Kutlu, Yildiz, Ayhan

This one isn’t exactly one of the more frequently played-out clashes.

In eight meetings, Wales actually edge the head-to-head record, with four wins and a draw to Turkey’s three victories.

The visitors tonight won the last encounter 2-0 just five months ago, but it was Wales who secured the important 2-0 win back in 2021 during the Euros.

Turkey do come into this one on some good form, having beaten Germany 3-2 last time out on the road, and will be hoping to make it two wins in two over Page’s side in qualification to cap off their successful campaign.

We’ll all be hoping for better from the last time Wales took on Turkey on home soil, a drab 0-0 draw.

Wales have foregone the right to decide their own future tonight, after a disappointing night in Yerevan.

After conceding five minutes in to the clash, an own goal on the stroke of half-time from Nair Tiknizyan spared the Dragons’ blushes, but they were unable to secure all three points.

Take a look at TOM COLLOMOSSE’S take on tonight’s game at the link below.

Should results not quite go the way of Rob Page’s side there is the luxury of a place in the play-offs in their back pocket.

Mind you, Page himself was fairly dismissive of any talk of said play-offs.

‘We’re having no talk of play-offs,’ said Page.

‘If we’re talking play-offs, we may as well call the game off on Tuesday. That’s our mentality and attitude.

‘The campaign is not over. If you’d have seen training, you will see the players don’t believe it’s over. We’re fully focused on the job we’ve got and we don’t want any regrets when that final whistle goes.

‘We want to take control of ourselves and the last thing is not give the level of performance we did against Croatia (in October) and the result has gone for us elsewhere. That would be a devastating blow to take.’

And here’s how the hosts will be lining up…

Good evening everyone, and welcome back to Mail Sport’s live international coverage -and this time it’s Wales welcoming Turkey to the Cardiff City Stadium.

Early warning – it’s going to be a night of nerves in the Welsh capital. The hosts need a win over Turkey, but they also require Croatia – arguably the biggest team in the group – to drop points at home to Armenia.

We’ll be bringing you updates from that one to contextualise our game in Cardiff throughout.

Both games are set to kick off in a little over an hour, so stick with us as we build up to what could be a memorable night for Wales – although it remains to be seen in what way!