Spain vs Turkey: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium receives the match of the weekend

The most difficult match of Spain Road to WC 2010, arrives when La Furia Roja is living the best moment in the history. The Euro 2008 champions, seems to have the best players as a National Team and they don’t need many changes in their line-ups as it happens with any Team that experience crisis.

As a result, it is time for records. First David Villa scored one goal per game at EURO 2008, then Xabi Alonso reached 50th cap...

According to our friendly site Spanish Football Sports, Spain vs Turkey achieves special moments for Iker Casillas and David Villa again.

Spain, enjoy it!

Luxembourg: historical WC qualification victory vs Switzerland at Zurich

On Wednesday, Luxembourg beat Switzerland 1-2 in Zurich, clinching their first victory in World Cup qualification since 1972.

Since beating Turkey 2-0 on 22 October 1972, Luxembourg played 73 World Cup qualification matches, drawing twice and losing 71.

It has been by far the longest winless streak among European countries in World Cup qualification, according to Infostrada.

San Marino currently have the longest running winless streak as they have not won in World Cup qualification since September 1992, a 37-match run.

Longest winless streaks in World Cup qualification – European countries
# Nation Drawn Lost Start date Match that ended streak

73 Luxembourg 2 71 10 Dec 1972 Switzerland - Luxembourg (10 Sep 2008) 1-2
39 Malta 4 35 14 Nov 1971 Estonia - Malta (12 May 1993) 0-1
37 San Marino 2 35 09 Sep 1992
34 Malta 4 30 19 Jun 1993
31 Cyprus 1 30 08 May 1973 Faroe Islands - Cyprus (16 Jun 1992) 0-2
21 Liechtenstein 1 20 24 Apr 1996 Luxembourg - Liechtenstein (13 Oct 2004) 0-4
19 Finland 2 17 16 Jun 1937 Finland - Poland (26 Sep 1965) 2-0
18 Turkey 2 16 24 Sep 1980 Turkey - East Germany (30 Nov 1988) 3-1
17 Latvia 6 11 05 Oct 1937 Latvia - Belarus (30 Apr 1997) 2-0
17 Armenia 6 11 10 Sep 1997 Armenia - Andorra (26 Mar 2005) 2-1
17 Albania 3 14 09 Sep 1992 Albania - Northern Ireland (10 Sep 1997) 1-0
17 Luxembourg 0 17 11 Mar 1934 Luxembourg - Portugal (08 Oct 1961) 4-2

Bold: streak still running

Turkey – Belgium: winners duel thinking about South Africa 2010

Turkey and Belgium will be face to face on Wednesday. Both teams won three points (against Armenia and Estonia) and will be the main opponents of Spain at Group 5. The one that will be able to win could be the main enemy of the European champions. It seems that Turkish team is the favourite one and will earn a victory in Istanbul.

Turkey – Belgium Head to Head

Genk 24/05/2006 BEL 3:3 (2:2) TUR Friendly
Brussels 28/04/2004 BEL 2:3 (1:1) TUR Friendly
Brussels 19/06/2000 TUR 2:0 (1:0) BEL Euro
Istanbul 30/04/1997 TUR 1:3 (1:3) BEL World Cup Qualifying
Brussels 31/08/1996 BEL 2:1 (2:0) TUR World Cup Qualifying
Brussels 26/10/1958 BEL 1:1 (0:0) TUR Friendly
Ankara 08/12/1957 TUR 1:1 (1:1) BEL Friendly

Complete coverage: http://turkeyfootball.blogspot.com

Armenia – Turkey preview: what a football game in the road to South Africa 2010

While many worry Turkey and Armenia's troubled relationship may ruin the World Cup qualification match, Turkish team boss Fatih Terim said that Saturday's game was “only a football game.”

Ahead of the game, which will be the first-ever football game between two national teams, Turkish national team coach Terim played down the tension in a poetic way while speaking at a press conference in Istanbul yesterday, according to Turkish Daily News.

The game at Yerevan's Hrazdan Stadium will be Turkey's first trip to Armenia for a high-profile sporting event and has already become more than a simple football match, turning into a diplomatic issue. It took weeks and various heated debates in the country before Turkish President Abdullah Gül responded to Armenian President Serge Sarkisian's invitation to watch the game together.

“This is the first game between the two countries, and that is important. Plus, it is important because it is the first game in the Group Five,” said Terim. “It is clear that our opponents will take the game with a different motivation. But for us, this is only a football game, not war.”

Photo: http://www.itusozluk.com

Full coverage: http://turkeyfootball.blogspot.com

Russia and Turkey "won" EURO 2008 third place

Russia and Turkey! UEFA had decided before the tournament that both squads will receive medals and both teams are part of EURO 2008 "podium". There was no match to determine third place since 1980 tournament, when Czech Republic defeated Italy.

Here we have the Official Regulations (See on page 3).

Germany - Turkey without TV? EURO problems

Where were you? Could you watch the whole Germany - Turkey match? Did you have problems? What do you think about the official broadcasting?

Update: see what have happened according to BBC.

Germany is in the final! Germany 3 – Turkey 2

Germany reached the sixth final at EURO history. They will face Spain or Russia on Sunday.

Picture: www.bild.de

Turkey Squad: Nihat Kahveci is at home!

Fatih Terim could choose only seventeen players for the EURO 2008 semifinal against Germany.

Nihat Kahveci and Emre Gungor have been ruled out through injury. Nihat is already at home in Spain! Emre Asik, Arda Turan, Volkan Demireal and Tuncay Sanli are suspended but could return only if Turkey arrive to the final.

Please take a look at the blog designed by our friend Ahmet Turgut who explain very well the situation.

Germany vs Turkey: only one will be in the final

Many people says that Germany is in the final, that Turkey is only the surprise of this EURO, and they can’t beat Germany. But in the EURO 2008 you never can be sure. If you are in front of Turkey, be careful. They are ready to write more history!!!

Meanwhile, let’s see what the numbers says about Turkey and Germany. According to the stats, Germany won 11 matches, they drew 3 and Turkey won 3.

Please pay attention how many matches they played during Euro Qualifyings!!!

Here we have all the meetings:

08.10.2005 Istanbul (TUR) Turkey - Germany 2:1
EURO Q 09.10.1999 Munich Germany - Turkey 0:0
EURO Q 10.10.1998 Bursa (TUR) Turkey - Germany 1:0
30.05.1992 Gelsenkirchen Germany - Turkey 1:0
EURO Q 26.10.1983 Berlin Germany - Turkey 5:1
EURO Q 23.04.1983 Izmir (TUR) Turkey - Germany 0:3
EURO Q 22.12.1979 Gelsenkirchen Germany - Turkey 2:0
EURO Q 01.04.1979 Izmir (TUR) Turkey - Germany 0:0
20.12.1975 Istanbul (TUR) Turkey - Germany 0:5
EURO Q 25.04.1971 Istanbul (TUR) Turkey - Germany 0:3
EURO Q 17.10.1970 Köln Germany - Turkey 1:1
12.10.1966 Ankara (TUR) Turkey - Germany 0:2
28.09.1963 Frankfurt/M. Germany - Turkey 3:0
World Cup 23.06.1954 Zürich (SUI) Germany - Turkey 7:2
World Cup 17.06.1954 Berne (SUI) Germany - Turkey 4:1
21.11.1951 Istanbul (TUR) Turkey - Germany 0:2
17.06.1951 Berlin Germany - Turkey 1:2

Croatia - Turkey, Turkey - Croatia: have you got a favourite?

For the second quarterfinal match, Croatia seems to be the favourite. They won all matches at Group B, included the second one against Germany, the first semifinalist... All the previous stats between this teams are saying that Croatia is the favourite.

But Turkey won two matches, both when they were down in the scoring. Just remember Czech Republic… Can be the first win for the Turkish team vs. Croatia in this history that has started 12 years ago?

Turkey vs Croatia head to head :

Euro 11.6.1996 Nottingham: Turkey - Croatia 0:1
Kirin Cup 12.6.1997 Sendai: Croatia - Turkey 1:1
Friendly 31.3.2004 Zagreb: Croatia - Turkey 2:2

Turkey vs Croatia: Turkish surprised Czech Republic in an historical match of Nihat Kahveci

At Stade de Geneve, Geneva, Turkey defeated Czech Republic 3-2 in a really futbolistic feat and qualified at EURO 2008 quarterfinals.

Jan Koller scored in the 34th minute. Before this goal, Sionko was the most dangerous player, while Turkey never could attack.

In the second half Turkey must attack with more players, but Plasil scored and the match was a Czech party. By the way, Arda Turan and Nihat Kahveci, twice, provocated the Turkish glory.

Lineups:
Turkey: Demirel, Altintop, Gungor (Asik 65),Cetin, Balta, Topal (Kazim-Richards 57), Aurelio, Turan, Sanli, Nihat, Senturk (Sarioglu 46).

Czech Republic: Cech, Grygera, Ujfalusi, Rozehnal, Jankulovski, Sionko (Kadlec 80), Matejovsky (Jarolim 39), Galasek, Polak, Plasil (Vlcek 84), Koller.

Goals: 34 min. Koller, 62 min. Plasil (CZE) 75 min. Turan, 87 and 89 min. Nihat (TUR)

Turkey vs. Czech Republic. What a match!

Turkish and Czechs will decide who will be in quartefinals.

Take a look at the match preview to know if the players are thinking about the penalty kicks.

Semih Senturk and Arda Turan revive Turkey; Switzerland is out

At St Jacob Park Stadium, Basel, Turkey defeated Switzerland 2-1 in the fourth match of the Group A at EURO 2008. An intense rain was protagonist.

After this result, Switzerland is eliminated without points. Due to Turkish victory Portugal is the first qualifying team at quarterfinals. Turkey and Czech Republic will decide which team will be at quarterfinals. If they draw they will kick penalties.

Lineups:
Switzerland: Benaglio, Senderos, Muller, Magnin, Lichtsteiner, Yakin (Gygax 85), Inler, Fernandes (Cabanas 76), Behrami, Barnetta (Vonlanthen 66), Derdiyok.

Turkey: Demirel, Emre Asik, Cetin, Hakan Balta, Metin (Topal 46), Karadeniz (Senturk 46), Aurelio, Arda, Altintop, Tuncay Sanli, Nihat (Kazim 85).

The Goals: 32 min. Yakin (SUI). 57 min. Senturk, 90 min. Turan (TUR).

Yellow Cards: Tuncay Sanli, Aurelio, Hakan Balta (TUR); Derdiyok (SUI).

Here we have Turkish repercussions.

Pepe and Raul Meireles: Portuguese goals and victory

In the end of the first day of the EURO 2008, Portugal defeated Turkey 2-0. Pepe (Kepler Laveran Lima Ferreira) and Raul Meireles scored in the second half for the Lusitans.

During the first half Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo - who shot a free kick in the left post of Volkan Demirel- took the reins from the attack. The Barcelona midfielder played one of his better matches of the year. At 16 minutes Pepe already had warned: he turned with a header that was invalid due to an offside.

In the second half, three situations had Nuno Gomes as protagonist: at 4 minutes he shot in a post, and at 19 minutes shot with his head a center of Ronaldinho that also arrived to a post. But before, at 15 minutes, the own Nuno Gomes gave back the football to Pepe who scored: 1-0. As Vaclav Sverkos, it was the first time that Pepe scored for his National Team.

When the match was finishing, Meireles finalizes a counterattack by the right side that had initiated by Ronaldo in the left side and that continued with an assist of Moutinho: 2-0.

Turkey? Turkey tried when already it was at disadvantage but never could complicate Ricardo. Turkey will have to improve to beat Czech Republic and Switzerland.

The players of the match? Deco during the first half. Nuno Gomes in the second one. Due to the quality of the players, little by little, Portugal demonstrates that can be a great protagonist at EURO 2008.

Lineups:
Portugal: Ricardo, Bosingwa, Pepe, Carvalho, Ferreira, Petit, Joao Moutinho, Ronaldo, Deco (Meira 90), Simao (Raul Meireles 82), Nuno Gomes (Nani 68). Goals: Pepe 61, Meireles 90.

Turkey: Demirel, Altintop (Senturk 76), Cetin, Zan (Asik 55), Balta, Kazim-Richards, Emre, Aurelio, Erding (Sarioglu 46), Sanli, Nihat.

The goals: 60 min; Pepe. 92 min; Meireles (POR)

Yellow Cards: Kazim, Zan, Sarioglu (TUR)

Quim, an historical disappointment

Joaquim Manuel Sampaio da Silva, known as Quim, was injured during a practice of the Portuguese team. After taking place examinations, the fracture in one of its fists was confirmed and he left in these hours the concentration of Felipe Scolari team.

In spite of not being serious the injury, the SL Benfica goalkeeper will have to be between four and six weeks resting. Thus Ricardo will be the main Portugal goalkeeper in this EURO 2008 who will be playing since today in the Group A.

Here we have the lineups of the second match of the EURO 2008:

Portugal:
Ricardo; Bosingwa, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira; Petit, João Moutinho, Deco; Cristiano Ronaldo, Simão, Nuno Gomes.

Turkey:
Volkan; Sabri, Zan, Server, Balta; Marco Aurélio, Altintop, Emre; Arda, Tuncay, Nihat.

Source: A Bola

Tuncay Sanly and Semih Senturk justified Turks victory

Tonight, in Duisburg, Turkey finished their Euro 2008 previous matches with a 2-0 victory over Finland.

Middlesbrough midfielder Tuncay Sanli opened the match score in the 15th minute and Fenerbahce’s Semih Senturk closed it in the 43th minute during the second half.

I couldn’t watch the match on TV so I can’t tell you so much. If you watched it, please let me know if Turkey could, for example, reach the EURO 2008 quarterfinals.

Lineups:
Turkey: Volkan, Servet, Hakan Balta, Gokhan, Emre Belozoglu (Gokdeniz 89), Mehmet Aurelio (Mehmet Topal 88), Nihat (Semih 82), Tuncay (Arda 67), Hamit (Ayhan 79), Sabri, Mevlut (Kazım 75).

Finland: Enckleman (Frederikson 46), Nyman, Kallio (Moisander 82), Pasoja (Lampi 53), Kuivasto, Vayrynen, Eremenko Jr (Litmanen 61), Heikkinen (Johansson 61), Forssell (Sadik 79), Eremenko, Kolkka.

Terim decided to exclude Yıldıray Baştürk, Halil Altıntop and İbrahim Kaş from the original list.

In spite of Nihat Kahveci great goal, Uruguay defeated Turkey

In a friendly match played in Bochum, Germany, as part of the preparation for the EURO 2008 Uruguay defeated Turkey 3-2 . In a match that we had the opportunity to watched, Turks and Uruguayan faced after more than 20 years in which Real Murcia´s goalkeeper Héctor Fabian Carini played his 70th international match.

Arda Turan opened the match for Turkey at moments at which Kazim Kazim played in great way. But Luis Suarez tied for Uruguay after turning goal a penalty that we couldn’t watch infraction. Minutes before, the referee Florian Meyer hadn’t sanctioned an infraction in the Turkish area.

The second half began with a free kick that Villarreal’s Nihat Kahveci turned goal. But the entrance of “Onion” Cristian Rodriguez gave greater dizziness to the Uruguayan forwards. As a result the tie arrived from Luis Suárez, after a great play of Sebastian Fernandez.

Finally, another penalty kick in the Turkish area allowed that Benfica’s Cristian Rodriguez closes account 3-2 for the National Team coached by Oscar Tabarez .

The Line-ups:

Turkey: Volkan, Hakan Balta, Gökhan (Mevlüt 87), Emre Belözoğlu (Halil 65), Mehmet Topal, Nihat, Yıldıray (Tuncay 65), Arda (Tümer 60), Emre Aşık, Hamit (Sabri 46), Kazım (Ayhan 46).

Uruguay: Carini, Alcoba, Godín, Gargano, Caceres, Eguren, Suárez, Cavani, (Fernández 46), Pereira (Silva 68), Giménez (Rodríguez 56), González (Flores 75).

Hakan Balta scores for the Turkey victory

At Bielefeld, Germany, 2002 World Cup semifinalists Turkey beat Slovakia 1-0 to give themselves a timely boost ahead of the Euro 2008. A goal by defender Hakan Balta in the second-half was enough to see the Turks to victory but their performance satisfied veteran coach Fatih Terim, who said he had not had six first choice players available to him including star forward Nihat Kahveci.

Defensively they had their nervous moments and had to thank goalkeeper Rustu Recber from saving them. However, once Terim included Emre Belozoglu, Sabri Sarioglu and Gokdeniz Karadeniz the Turks improved and deserved a bulky victory.

Next Turkey match will be on Sunday vs. Uruguay at Bochum.

The line-ups:
Turkey: Rustu, Hakan Balta (min. 78 Ugur), Gokhan Zan, Mehmet Topal (min. 46 Emre Belozoglu), Mehmet Aurelio, Semih (min. 65 Halil Altintop), Ibrahim Kas (min. 46 Sabri), Tuncay (min. 73 Arda), Kazim, Mevlut (min. 47 Gokdeniz), Emre Gungor

Slovakia: Senecky, Kravcik, Skrtel, Hubocan, Zabavnik, Petras (min. 90 Novak), Hamsik, Sestak (min. 86 Kolbas), Mintal (min. 68 Jakubka), Cech (min. 68 Zopcak), Vittek (min. 78 Holosko).

Surprise! Hakan Sukur wasn’t in Turkish squad

What a revelation! What people suspected in our blog it was confirmed. Turkey coach Fatih Terim has named a provisional 26-man squad for the EURO 2008 and the striker Hakan Sukur wasn´t there.

The historical Top Scorer of Turkey National Team has been played eight matches during the qualifying and participated in the EURO´s 1996 and 2000 and the World Cup in 2002 when Turkey was third, but Terim thought about his present, not about his experience.

The squad includes seven players from the last Super Ligue champion Galatasaray AS and six from the runner-up Fenerbahce SK.

This month Turkey will play three friendly matches in Germany: against Slovakia (at the SchucoArena, Bielefeld), Uruguay (at the Rewirpower Stadion, Bochum) and Finland (at the MSV Arena, Duisburg).

The Turkey squad

Goalkeepers: Volkan Demirel (Fenerbahce SK), Rustu Recber (Besiktas JK), Tolga Zengin (Trabzonspor).

Defenders: Gokhan Gonul (Fenerbahce SK), Sabri Sarıoglu (Galatasaray AS), Gokhan Zan (Besiktas JK), Ibrahim Kas (Besiktas JK), Emre Asık (Galatasaray AS), Servet Cetin (Galatasaray AS), Hakan Balta (Galatasaray AS), Ugur Boral (Fenerbahce SK).

Midfielders: Mehmet Aurelio (Fenerbahce SK), Mehmet Topal (Galatasaray AS), Emre Belozoglu (Newcastle United FC), Tumer Metin (Larissa FC), Yildiray Basturk (Stuttgart), Hamit Altintop (FC Bayern Munchen), Ayhan Akman (Galatasaray AS), Arda Turan (Galatasaray AS), Tuncay Sanli (Middlesbrough FC), Kazim Kazim (Fenerbahce SK), Gokdeniz Karadeniz (FC Rubin Kazan).

Forwards: Nihat Kahveci (Villarreal CF), Halil Altıntop (FC Schalke 04), Semih Senturk (Fenerbahce SK), Mevlut Erding (FC Sochaux).

EDITED: defender Emre Gungor from Galatasaray was added to Turkey's preliminary European Championship roster. More info in Turkey Football.

Soul, heart and life in Turkey

Various EURO 2008 readers requested that I could write about Turkey, and although we felt a debt with the Islamic team, we knew that there would be time to post about them.

This Crescent Stars Team will arrive at EURO 2008 with the obligation to take advantage of the last seasons with these great players that obtained the third position in Korea - Japan 2002 and reached the quarterfinals in the EURO 2000. After not classifying to the World Cup 2006, Switzerland - Austria became an obsession and that objective was practically encapsulated in Oslo. There, the Turkish had to defeat to Norway to improve on them in the second position of the Group C. It was a 2-1 victory and classification.

In that stage Hakan Sukur was important again. Beyond The King scored five goals (against Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina) his presence is always vital in that team that brings the soul in each field. With 36 years and 368 goals scored in his career, he is the team leader that has other three players from Galatasaray, four from Fenerbache and Sochaux´s Mevlut Erding as his natural replacement.

While the enthusiastic fanatics of the Premier Super League continue breathing the transcendental derby that brought consequences for the Fenerbahce players, the coach Fatih Terim is thinking about the matches against the local team Switzerland and Portugal, one of the favorites to acquire the EURO 2008.

The ideal would be to be qualified to quarterfinals after the match against the Czechs. Surely The Crescent Stars Team know how.