UEFA Nations League – De Bruyne scores twice as Belgium easily defeats Türkiye 3-0 at home.

In the third round of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League group stage, Belgium hosted Turkey. They ultimately won 3-0 and currently sit second in Group A with 6 points from 2 wins and 1 loss.

Turkey suffered its third consecutive defeat after this match, conceding seven goals and ranking at the bottom of the group.

Just 10 minutes into the game, Kevin De Bruyne received a through ball from Dodi Lukeborg and unleashed a powerful shot into the net, giving Belgium a 1-0 lead. In the 14th minute, Mika Holz, De Bruyne, and Hans Vannacken exchanged passes to bring the ball into the box, but Maxim De Klippe's final shot was caught by Uurcan Cakir. Less than half a minute later, Lukeborg attempted to test Cakir with a long-range shot, but to no avail.

In the 16th minute, Arda Güler's long-range shot was caught by Sena Lamens, but his attempt ignited Turkey's attack. After that, both teams traded attacks: In the 19th minute, Güler's free-kick cross from the left was headed just wide by Abdulkarim Baldakic in the box. In the 22nd minute, Hotz cut inside from the left and passed to Charles de Ketterare, whose curling shot was saved by Cakir. In the 27th minute, Güler's long-range shot from the right was also caught by Lamens. In the 28th minute, Hotz crossed from the left, and De Bruyne's header was saved by Cakir. In the 29th minute, Zeki Celiik crossed, and Kerem Aktirkoglu's header went over the bar.

In the 34th minute, De Bruyne delivered a diagonal pass from the right side of the penalty area, and Vannacken's close-range shot was brilliantly saved by Cakir. In the 36th minute, Hotz crossed from the left to Lukeborg, whose shot was deflected off the post by Cakir. In the 43rd minute, Celiq delivered a cross from the right side of the penalty area, and Merih Demiral, unmarked, fired a shot that went wildly over the bar.

The second half began with both sides switching ends. In the 53rd minute, De Bruyne's long pass from midfield found Lukebaghio on the right wing, whose curling shot inside the box was denied by the post. In the 55th minute, Güler broke through the middle and delivered a diagonal pass, but Yunus Akkin's shot inside the box was also saved. In the 59th minute, De Bruyne unleashed a stunning curling shot from near the edge of the box, extending the lead to 2-0. In the 76th minute, De Ceftrare delivered a cross from the right side of the box, and Romelu Lukaku tapped it in to score again. Neither side managed to find the net again, and Belgium ultimately won 3-0.

Image source: Internet