Turkey Hosts Hungary in Nations League Playoff Showdown

ISTANBUL, Turkey — Turkey will clash with Hungary on Thursday, March 20, at 5 p.m. UK time in the first leg of their Nations League playoff tie at Ataturk Olimpiyat Stadi. Both teams are aiming for promotion to League A as they compete in the playoffs, following their group stage performances.

Turkey finished second in Group B4 with a record of three wins, two draws, and one loss, falling just one point short of group leaders Wales. Their position was solid until a 3-1 defeat against Montenegro allowed Wales to claim the top spot and sent Turkey into the playoffs.

The Turkish team hopes to replicate their success from the last Nations League cycle, where they moved up from League C. They boast an impressive home record, remaining unbeaten in their last eight Nations League matches on home soil (5 wins, 3 draws). However, Turkey has yet to overcome Hungary in their last five encounters, with a dismal record of one draw and four losses since they last defeated them 3-0 in European Championship qualifying in September 2007.

Hungary, on the other hand, struggled in their group, finishing third with one win, three draws, and two losses. They bounced back from a severe 5-0 loss against Germany by earning five points in their subsequent three matches. In their final group match, Dominik Szoboszlai scored a late penalty to secure a 1-1 draw against Germany, ensuring Hungary finished four points clear of fourth-place Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Head coach Marco Rossi‘s squad includes several uncapped players, and Szoboszlai will return to lead Hungary, eager to build on his three goals in the current Nations League. The Magyars are determined to secure a strong offensive showing, especially considering they have struggled to score more than one goal in eight of their previous nine international matches.

Turkey will be without several key players due to injury, including a quartet of influential players and two who are suspended for this match due to previous yellow cards. Inter Milan‘s Hakan Calhanoglu will captain the Turkish side and aims for his 100th international appearance.

Both teams have formidable stakes in this playoff. A win in Istanbul would give Turkey a considerable advantage ahead of the second leg on Sunday, while Hungary must capitalize on their recent success against Turkey, having won their last three encounters without conceding a goal.

Predictions indicate that Turkey may have trouble securing a victory at home, given their recent struggles against Hungary. Current data analysis rates Turkey’s chances of winning at 63.3%, with a potential draw at 18.6% and Hungary at 18.1%.