Late Goal Sinks Turkiye While Greece Advance

Late Goal Sinks Turkiye While Greece Advance

by Nathan L. Redd

With Greece on their heels, Turkiye dropped a crucial Euro 2008 qualifier to Bosnia Herzegovina Saturday in Sarajevo. Turkiye twice squandered the lead, and when it appeared that the disappointment of a draw was in hand, Bosnia got a last-minute goal from Custovic to shock the Group C leaders.

Turkiye struck first, with Hakan Sukur finding the back of the net just 13 minutes in. Turkiye held the lead until Bosnia got an equalizer from Muslimovic. Turkiye had retaken the lead when Arda Turan fed Sabri Sarioglu for a fantastic left-footed shot from just inside the penalty area. However, in first-half stoppage time, Bosnia would equalize again when Aldin Dzidic found the back of the net from just inside the penalty area.

Turkiye and Bosnia would continue play at 2-2 with Turkish disappointment of just a draw setting in, but Bosnia shocked everyone by getting a late minute goal just before the end of regulation to win 3-2. Turkiye took more shots in the game, with 15 compared to Bosnia's 10. However, only four of those were on target, while Bosnia was able to put the ball on target six times. Turkiye had eight corners compared to Bosnia's three, and Turkiye had possession of the ball 56% of the time compared to Bosnia's 44%. However, Bosnia was able to capitalize and Turkiye missed opportunity after opportunity to put the game away.

Fenerbahce's Rustu Recber got his first game action since November 2006, but he looked understandably rusty at times. Turkiye was also without several key players, including Tumer Metin, Mehmet Topuz and Emre Belozoglu.

The sting of Turkiye's loss was made even more painful when Greece advanced past Hungary 2-0 in Group C play. Greece's win, accompanied with Turkiye's disappointing loss, pulls Greece ahead of Turkiye with 15 points, while Turkiye drops to second place with 13 points. Bosnia picked up a crucial three points to give them 10 in group play.

Turkiye must now put the loss behind them and re-group. They will take the pitch again in just three days in Dortmund, Germany, for a friendly against Brazil. That game will be broadcast live in the United States on Fox Soccer Channel.