Turks hold Greece to 0-0 draw in qualifying

PIRAEUS, Greece (AP) -- Turkey held European champion Greece to a goalless draw Wednesday in a Group Two World Cup qualifier in a match filled with end-to-end play and fruitless chances.

The result left Ukraine and Georgia atop the group with four points each, two ahead of Turkey and three better than Greece. Ukraine won 2-1 at Kazakhstan 2-1 earlier Wednesday, while Georgia defeated Albania 2-0 in Tbilisi.

Albania, which upset Greece 2-1 Saturday, has three points.

The match, before a capacity crowed of 33,000 at the Karaiskaki stadium, was the first official encounter between the two neighbors and traditional rivals in front of only Greek fans. Turkey's soccer federation did not request tickets, fearing possible crowd trouble.

More than 1,000 police provided security for the game. Fans were not allowed to carry coins or lighters into the stadium, and police confiscated banners deemed offensive to the Turkish team.

"It was a very good match and the result was fair," Greece coach Otto Rehhagel said. "It's better to win, but Turkey played very well. We didn't make the mistakes we made in Albania."

Greece played without its defender Traianos Dellas, who also missed the Albanian clash.

Turkey missed suspended midfielder Hasan Sas, red-carded against Georgia Saturday, as well as injured striker Hakan Sukur.

Both teams struggled for control in midfield.

Greece had its first chance in the 17th minute when Stelios Giannacopoulos burst through the Turkish defense, but his shot was flicked away by Servet Cetin with keeper Rustu Recber already beaten.

The visitors had their first opportunity in the 25th when Greek keeper Antonis Nikopolidis blocked Nihat Kahveci's powerful shot from inside the area.

Greece's Angelos Basinas narrowly avoided an own goal when his header hit the crossbar in the 36th.

And in the dying minutes of the first half, Recber leaped to grab a clever lob by Costas Katsouranis.

Greece pushed forward in the second half, but the Turks, surprise semifinalists in the 2002 World Cup, resisted well. Both teams scrambled for a late winner with successive fast breaks.

"We're not at the level we should be playing but we'll fight to the end," Greek striker Zissis Vryzas said.