Bommel wants to stop match endings becoming a problem

Belgium's Red Devils secured a 1-2 victory in Turkey, prompting coach Mark van Bommel to stress the need to prevent the closing stages from becoming an issue. Their superiority was most evident at the end of the first half and at the start of the second half.

The Turks came close to equalising right at the very end of the match. Failing to score the break goal could cause scares against a revived Turkish crowd. The Red Devils experienced a similar situation on Thursday and will not be the last to taste it.

Alex Teklak's analysis

The closing stages under Mark van Bommel's direction have often been poorly managed, including in Italy and against France. “Overall, there are issues in managing the tempo of the game,” observes Alex Teklak. “Players need to emerge to control the match, find connections, and not rush. They can also come off the bench, introducing more controlling profiles to prevent the game from resembling a ping‑pong match.”

Several times, players tried to force a decision individually, losing the ball and giving the Turks chances to get back into the game. “It is also a matter of collective maturity, with overly hasty choices that have provided the opponent with opportunities at moments when it was not necessary, when we needed to hold back,” adds Teklak. The moments of ball circulation to beat the press became rarer. “In the end, the Turks fed on mistakes without necessarily causing them. The closing stages must not become a problem when everything is in our favour.”