PlayBeautiful

#TURvBRA Friendly: Preview on Turkey

Turkey will play a friendly game against Brazil in İstanbul on November 12. The last time these two sides met was in 2007. Turkey have not won against Brazil in a total of 6 meetings, so the stage is set for a very electric atmosphere at Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium.

If Turkey play to their strengths, they could grind out a positive result. By utilizing the flanks, Turkey can take the advantage of the fullbacks’ overlapping runs to link up with players on the wing. This allows them to cross the ball in dangerous areas. Brazil will be looking to retain the ball and take control of the game, so Turkey may be restricted from their pass-oriented approach. However, a focused performance in midfield can disturb Brazil’s rhythm and bring back possession in Turkey’s favor. Individual moments of brilliance will be key against a motivated Brazilian side. With the good, comes the bad. There are certain weaknesses Turkey will have to keep in mind. Although they tend to start off strong, they have trouble keeping up the intensity for 90 minutes. This impacts their ability to capitalize on chances. They may get very limited goal-scoring opportunities, so the attack has to fully concentrate on execution in the build-up. Also, Turkey will have to make the most of their set piece situations. Another issue is the defensive lapses. The team is most vulnerable when losing possession. This can pose a problem against the quick interchange of Brazil’s players. Whether Turkey win or lose, this is a good moment to see where the team stands against a formidable opponent. As the underdog, Turkey will enter the arena with the support of the home crowd. Pride is always on the line in football. Projected Lineup: Volkan Demirel, Caner Erkin, Bekir İrtegün, Semih Kaya, Gökhan Gönül, Mehmet Topal, Selçuk İnan, Gökhan Töre, Olcay Şahan, Arda Turan, Burak Yılmaz

Written by: Goral Patel