After eight international games without a goal, Hakan Sukur ended his drought at the optimum moment with two decisive strikes in Brussels as Turkey beat Belgium 2-0 to secure a place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2000.

Sukur headed home in first-half stoppage time after Belgium had dictated the early exchanges and the Galatasaray striker grabbed a second from close range to wreck the co-hosts' dreams and set up a showdown with Portugal.

Belgium seemed eminently capable of securing the point they required to reach the quarter-finals with an explosive start against the subdued Turks.

With Marc Wilmots dominant in midfield and his Schalke team-mate Emile Mpenza revelling in the space Turkey's defence afforded him, Belgium surged forward early on.

Mpenza fired two shots wide in the opening two minutes and had a goal ruled out after Luc Nilis was caught marginally offside.

The Aston Villa striker, in for the injured Branko Strupar, was also an effervescent force in the first half and came close to breaking the deadlock after outpacing the Turkish defence but Rustu parried his angled shot.

Bart Goor also went close with a deflected drive but Turkey grew in confidence as Belgium failed to secure a deserved advantage and as the visitors grinded into gear the co-hosts stuttered.

Slack defending cost Belgium dearly in the opening stages of their defeat against Italy but they saved their deficiencies for later in this game as Filip De Wilde was left exposed on four occasions.

Okan Buruk scuffed a fine chance, Sukur was denied as the keeper rushed out to smother his shot and a majestic surge from Arif Erdem was denied by another alert stop.

De Wilde's night soon plunged into a nightmare as Sukur beat him to a high ball and nodded the ball into the net in first-half stoppage time.

As Belgium poured forward after the break a draw seemed well within them but with Sweden struggling in Eindhoven Turkey stood firm to sustain their hopes of progressing with the Italians.

Rustu edged them a step closer to the quarter-finals with a magnificent reflex save from Mpenza's fizzing header after 54 minutes and the same player flashed another header marginally wide shortly afterwards.

Marc Hendrikx rolled a shot just past the post on the hour after entering the fray as a substitute but as Belgium advanced, gaps appeared in the co-hosts' defence and Turkey capitalized ruthlessly.

Sixty-nine minutes had elapsed when a rapid breakaway on the right left Sukur unmarked in front of goal and he rammed his strike high into the net to wreck Belgium's dreams in Brussels.

Still the home side persisted but their night was capped as De Wilde received his marching orders for a neck-high challenge on Arif as the Turks broke away once again.