Leeds United star Karl Darlow in Wales incident v Turkey as BBC pundit reacts to complaints
Nathan Blake hit out at Baris Alper Yilmaz’s calls for a penalty after an incident with Leeds United keeper Karl Darlow in the game between Wales and Turkey.
The Red Dragons travelled to the Kadir Has Stadium on 16 November in the UEFA Nations League, with the 34-year-old shot-stopper starting between the sticks.
Darlow punched the ball away and subsequently caught the Turkish winger early on in the game, but speaking on BBC Radio Wales [16 November, 17:11], Blake dismissed the Galatasaray star instantly.
“Yilmaz, you never get them,” he said.
“Both Helen and I will confess that. As soon as I saw the keeper [Darlow] coming out, there’s no point in going down because no matter what happens, unless he literally chins you, you’re not going to get a penalty for that.”
Karl Darlow getting much-needed game time at Wales away from Leeds United
Darlow joined Leeds in the summer of 2023 from Newcastle United and has since been the club’s back-up goalkeeper.
Last season, the veteran shot-stopper made just four appearances in all competitions for the Whites as they missed out on promotion to the Premier League after losing 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final.
The 34-year-old has once again found himself behind Illan Meslier in the pecking order this season, with his sole appearance coming in the loss to Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup on 14 August.
Meslier has been the first choice at the Peacocks for several seasons now, and the Frenchman has shown great promise despite frequent errors.
The 24-year-old is an excellent asset to Leeds, but he can also be erratic, with his error against Sunderland on 4 October in the 2-2 draw costing them two points.
Darlow must’ve felt hard done by not to be handed more opportunities after Meslier’s mishap, and it feels like the Welshman will have to suffice with a subsidiary role under Daniel Farke.
In other Leeds news, Sonny Perkins’ form at Leyton Orient raises questions over his Elland Road future.
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