 |
| |
|
 |
 |
|
|
Turkish delight Turkey defeats China 3-0 to reach second roundPosted: Thursday June 13, 2002 2:18 AMUpdated: Thursday June 13, 2002 8:36 AM
SEOUL (Reuters) -- Turkey forgot the controversy and frustration of their opening two World Cup games and celebrated reaching the second round for the first time in their history with a 3-0 win over 10-man China in group C on Thursday. Two goals in the first nine minutes from striker Hasan Sas and defender Bulent Korkmaz sent the Turks on their way to the last 16 ahead of Costa Rica on goal difference. Midfielder Umit Davala made sure with a right-foot strike on 85 minutes. Shao Jiayi suffered the indignity of becoming the first Chinese player to be sent off in a World Cup finals match after a challenge on Emre Belezoglu just before the hour mark. The Chinese finished without a point or a goal on their debut. (Falun Gong protests outside game.) But Turkey coach Senol Gunes was delighted to make history of a different kind by clinching a place in the knockout phase and fulfilling the team's pledge to the Turkish people. (Turkish team hails new era.)
"We are very happy we kept our promise to the Turkish nation first by qualifying for the World Cup finals and then qualifying for the second round and we kept our promise. "Today we got a deserved victory," he said. China coach Bora Milutinovic took comfort from the progress he said his team had made at their first finals. (Bora leaves without "Three Wishes.") "It was good to make the first step to the finals. It would have been nice to have got the second step. "I think that was our best game in the World Cup. Our team is very young. China has a future. To have to play the second half with 10 players was very difficult for us." "Now I am finished with the Chinese team. I was very happy to work with them. Now I need a rest and will see what is my future." Celebrations The Turks, who had failed to get past the first round in their only other appearance at the finals in 1954, were jubilant after the match as their players celebrated in the center circle. "We started well and found the goals. We are extremely happy. We knew that, whatever the result of the other game, we had to win this one," said goalscorer Bulent. Turkey and Costa Rica finished on four points behind group winners Brazil, who beat the Costa Ricans 5-2 in Thursday's other group C clash, but the Turks' superior goal difference clinched runners-up spot and they will now face the group H winners. With one round of games left in that group co-hosts Japan are top with four points ahead of Russia (3), Belgium (2) and Tunisia (1), but any of those teams could still take first place. Tunisia play Japan and Belgium face Russia, both on Friday. Gunes said it did not matter too much who Turkey play in the second round, but added "surely we will play better football than we have during the group stage. Of course, playing against the host nation [Japan] may be a disadvantage."
The Turks, expected to be the second strongest team in the group, had two players sent off in an opening 2-1 defeat by Brazil, which will be remembered for play-acting by Rivaldo. They then let in a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Costa Rica. But Turkey finally satisfied their fanatical home fans with a convincing victory over the Chinese, who now leave their first World Cup without winning a point or scoring a goal. (Turks dance in streets of Ankara.) Defensive error A mistake by Chinese defender Li Weifeng on the edge of the box led to Hasan's opening goal in the sixth minute. He took his chance superbly, cutting in from the right and blasting a shot over goalkeeper Jiang Jin. Just three minutes later Hasan turned provider, putting over a dangerous cross from the left. Defender Bulent Korkmaz's looping header beat Jiang with striker Hakan Sukur poised to make certain had the ball not crossed the line. China came close to their first World Cup goal in the 28th minute when Yang Chen hit the post with a fierce close-range shot after a cross from Hao Haidong. They played some tidy football at times in from of a large contingent of China fans. (China fans shun team in no-goal exit.) Midway through the second half, when Costa Rica had scored a second goal against Brazil, the Turks faced an early exit from the competition but Brazil's fourth goal was crucial and was cheered in Seoul as well as Suwon. Shao became the first Chinese player to be sent off at the finals after a challenge on Emre Belezoglu on 59 minutes. His departure weakened an already struggling team and Hakan Sukur could have scored a third for Turkey in the 71st minute when his header forced Jiang to make a brilliant reaction save. But the Turks finally got a third goal five minutes from time when Umit Davala struck a right-foot drive from 10 meters after a cross from Sas to seal a deserved first win at these finals. Turkey packs midfield against ChinaTurkey went for its classical formula with all-time top scorer Hakan Sukur up front and a packed midfield behind him for a critical World Cup Group C match against China on Thursday. Sukur has been held scoreless against Brazil and Costa Rica in Turkey's first group matches. Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Yildiray Basturk filled the position right behind Sukur as usual. Defender Hakan Unsal of Blackburn Rovers returned to Turkey's defense after being suspended against Costa Rica. Unsal replaced Ergun Penbe. The Turkish formation was similar to the formation deployed against Brazil and Costa Rica. China coach Bora Milutinovic also opted for his standard, defensively oriented 4-4-2 formation that he relied on in matches with Brazil and Costa Rica. Despite reports that China's two best and most experienced players, Fan Zhiyi of Scotland's Dundee and Sun Jihai of Manchester City, were fit and ready for Thursday's match, the two were not listed as starters. Both were injured in the opener against Costa Rica. SummaryTurkey 3 China 0 - result World Cup, group C Scorers: Hasan Sas 6, Bulent Korkmaz 9, Umit Davala 85 Red card: China - Shao Jiayi 59 Yellow cards: Turkey - Emre Asik 20, Emre Belozoglu 30, Hasan Sas 82 China - Yang Pu 45, Li Weifeng 62 Halftime: 2-0; Attendance: 43,605 Teams: Turkey (4-5-1): 1-Rustu Recber (12-Omer Catkic 35); 4-Fatih Akyel, 2-Emre Asik, 3-Bulent Korkmaz, 20-Hakan Unsal; 8-Tugay Kerimoglu (14-Tayfur Havutcu 84), 21-Emre Belozoglu, 22-Umit Davala, 10-Yildiray Basturk (17-Ilhan Mansiz 70), 11-Hasan Sas; 9-Hakan Sukur. China (4-4-2): 22-Jiang Jin; 17-Du Wei, 14-Li Weifeng, 4-Wu Chengying (6-Shao Jiayi 46), 21-Xu Yunlong; 18-Li Xiaopeng, 3-Yang Pu, 8-Li Tie, 15-Zhao Junzhe; 10-Hao Haidong (16-Qu Bo 73, 20-Yang Chen (11-Yu Genwei 73). Referee: Oscar Ruiz (Colombia) Linesmen: Ali Tomusange (Uganda), Curtis Charles (Antigua)
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
