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| June 23, 2002 | Sunday | Rabi-us-Sani 11, 1423 |
Jubilant Turks let out roar of triumph
ANKARA, June 22: Thousands of jubilant Turks let out a roar of triumph and flocked to central squares in cities across Turkey on Saturday after their soccer team qualified for the semifinal with a golden goal against Senegal.
The streets of the capital Ankara had been eerily empty during the game, though the sound of radios and televisions tuned to the match echoed around the central Kizilay Square.
“I’m so happy, I’m so happy. I can’t even express how I’m feeling,” said Havza Yilmaz, 40, a taxi driver, after the 1-0 extra-time victory qualified Turkey to take on Brazil in the semifinal.
“I’ve done nothing else but hope for this. And I never lost hope,” he said.
In Taksim Square in Istanbul thousands gathered waving red Turkish flags, chanting “Turkey is the greatest!” and honking their car horns. There were similar scenes in Ankara, Izmir and Diyarbakir, the capital of the mainly Kurdish southeast.
“I wasn’t expecting this, it’s like a dream,” said Ozgur Boran, 23, an airline ticket salesman in Ankara.
The commentator for national television TRT was close to tears moments after the extra-time goal, repeating again and again: “Turkey is in the semifinal.”
“We’ve made our mark in history,” said Faruk Demir, a 50-year-old shop owner. “We won despite Hakan Sukur,” he added, referring to a wasted chance by Sukur in the first half.
Turkey’s mobile telephone network was blocked with people messaging and calling each other after the match.
“I am so elated,” Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit told TRT television by telephone after watching the match at home where he is recovering from illnesses.
“I congratulate all the players and trainers. Their success will not stop here. They will take it to the end,” Ecevit said.
Turkish television showed pictures of expatriate Turks in Berlin taking to the streets to cheer their home team, which has now matched Germany in reaching the semifinals. Pictures showed Turks draping flags over traffic lights and streetlights.
“We are not surprised, we knew this would be the result,” said Faruk Karaduman, 40, an Ankara businessman draped in the Turkish flag, a white star and crescent on a red background. “We will beat Brazil, 2-0, and then take the cup. I’m sure of it.”
Others were holding a huge flag across the street, blocking cars from driving through.
“We were amazing. We will certainly beat Brazil and go on to the final,” said Haluk Aydin, 30.
But not everybody was able to watch the match in Turkey, which has struggled to overcome its worst recession since 1945 after a financial crisis last year.
“I couldn’t watch. I heard the shouts, that’s how I learned that we won,” said Ibrahim, 27, a road worker who was laying electrical cables in Ankara while the rest of the nation was watching.
OSAKA: Turkey will be out for revenge when they meet Brazil, midfielder Umit Davala warned.
Umit Davala, who set up the golden goal winner for substitute Ilhan Mansiz in the fourth minute of extra time, told reporters that Turkey still had a score to settle after losing 2-1 to Brazil in an incident-packed group C match on June 3.
“We have no fear of Brazil. It’s just the name that’s big. Brazil have won the World Cup four times but we’re not afraid of them or any team,” said Umit Davala. “Brazil have to fear us.”—Reuters
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