Rob Page insists Wales can still automatically qualify for Euro 2024 next summer, despite suffering a second successive group defeat in Turkey.
Wales suffered a 2-0 loss in Samsun on the back of Friday’s horror show against Armenia, when opponents ranked 97th in the world claimed a 4-2 victory in Cardiff.
Having reached the halfway point of their eight-game campaign, Wales are five points behind leaders Turkey and two adrift of Armenia who have a game in hand.
Group favourites Croatia are level on points with Wales having played two fewer games.
Wales are almost certainly guaranteed a play-off spot through their Nations League ranking, but manager Page insists Wales can secure one of the automatic two qualifying spots on offer in Group D.
“Absolutely [I believe that],” said Page, who has overseen just one win in 12 games since Wales qualified for the World Cup last June.
“To do it, we need to get both sides of the game bang on and do it really well, if we are to be successful.
“It’s been a frustrating camp but there have been so many lessons to learn from it.
“We will address it. We go into every game to win it. It just means it’s really important we get wins at home and get as many points from them.”
Turkey’s Salih Ozcan, left, vies for the ball with Wales’ Aaron Ramsey
Wales were left with an uphill task from the 41st minute when midfielder Joe Morrell caught Ferdi Kadioglu high with his studs and was sent off.
It was Wales’ second red card in as many games after Kieffer Moore was dismissed against Armenia.
Danny Ward saved Hakan Calhanoglu’s 64th-minute penalty after Aaron Ramsey had handled Kadioglu’s cross.
But Turkey’s pressure told as substitutes Umut Nayir and Arda Guler scored in the final 18 minutes.
Page said: “Whenever you come to Turkey away, you know it’s a tough test.
“Having said that, before the sending off, I thought we matched them and I was really pleased with the performance defensively, which we obviously addressed off the back of Friday’s result.
Wales have now won only one of their last 12 games in all competitions (D3 L8), while they’ve now lost four of their last five games on their travels (D1)
“With the ball I thought we got Aaron and others in great positions up the pitch and we were brave to play through them.
“We looked at the footage and we thought that was an area we could exploit and that was working up until the sending off happens. Completely changes the game.
“Up until the 70th minute I thought we defended our box really well, only one cross into our own box and it cost us, that first goal.
“He [Morrell] is not intentionally doing it. He’s got his eye on the ball, but when you put your foot that high, you run the risk of getting a red card.
Wales have lost two of their last three games against Turkey in all competitions, both of which were away from home, having only lost one of their first five such encounters (W3 D1)
“He knows it. There’s nobody more disappointed than Joe in the changing room.”
Turkey boss Stefan Kuntz was relieved to get the victory, especially after his side twice had the ball in the net only to be denied by VAR checks.
Kuntz said: “I might need to wait next time until I cheer. It’s been a difficult time for us and for the fans and in the second half we needed to be calmer.
“We tried to manage the game in the second half and the fans were very helpful.”
Wales qualification hopes drift into Black Sea
Wales have now had a player sent off in successive games (Joe Morrell tonight and Kieffer Moore against Armenia)
Sky Sports’ Ben Grounds:
Automatic qualification for Germany is slipping through Robert Page’s fingers. After successive defeats this June, Wales have now won only one of their last 12 games in all competitions, while they have lost four of their last five games on their travels.
The deficiencies on show in Monday’s eventual 2-0 defeat to Turkey have been a couple of years in the making, and the Welsh FA must now decide if Page is the right man to find the necessary solutions.
Both Umut Nayir and Arda Güler scored their first goals for Turkey having come off the bench, while Page had very little wriggle room after Joe Morrell’s somewhat harsh dismissal.
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Former Wales international Robert Earnshaw reacts to Turkey’s first goal in the Euro Qualifiers
Wales have now had a player sent off in successive games after Kieffer Moore against Armenia. Given the expected period of transition following Gareth Bale’s retirement among others, it could not have come at a more challenging time for Page, who was again unable to paper over the defensive fragility exposed by the team ranked No 97 in the world last Friday.
Ben Cabango was called upon in place of Brennan Johnson out of necessity as he reverted to a low block of five. It was a signal to their opponents that a draw was the height of their ambition. Harry Wilson’s free-kick might have brought an unlikely win and despite Danny Ward’s penalty heroics, the eventual punishment felt an inevitability.
Former striker Rob Earnshaw told Sky Sports: “This turned into a must-win because Armenia had beaten Latvia to put pressure on them. To be honest, I didn’t see the reaction from Wales. That’s the worrying part. It leaves them with a lot to learn from. This is a very bad Wales camp.
Turkey have lost just one of their last 12 home competitive internationals (W6 D5), scoring 2+ goals in five of their last six such games
“When I was in the team taking over from the Gary Speeds and the Chris Colemans, there were changes made because we needed to get better. Right now, I’m struggling to see where we’re getting better because our game is very similar and we’re getting punished for it.
“Page called his players to produce a performance the fans could be proud of and they didn’t produce it. It’s a 2-0 that could’ve been a 3-0 or a 4-0. Defensively, Wales just look so open.”
There was no reaction to the Armenia debacle. Wales’ Euro 2024 qualifying hopes are in serious peril. In Samsun, a historic port town on the Black Sea, those aspirations are sinking without a trace.
