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| June 14, 2002 | Friday | Rabi-us-Sani 2, 1423 |
Historic win for Turkey
SEOUL, June 13: 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.
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.
“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.
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 centre circle.
Turkey and Costa Rica finished on four points behind group winners Brazil, 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 Friday.
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 equaliser 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.
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.
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 metres after a cross from Sas to seal a deserved first win at these finals.—Reuters
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