Belgium Hold Turkey In Scrappy Draw

CelticKing · Sep 10, 2008

Belgium Hold Turkey In Scrappy Draw

Turkey 1-1 Belgium

A largely disjointed game in Istanbul appropriately ended in a draw, Emre's second-half spot kick cancelling out Wesley Sonck's first half header. The Turks had more ambition, but they were made to pay for a failure to start brightly...

Turkey may feel that having a goal disallowed was unjust, but in the end they can have relatively few complaints with a 1-1 scoreline. Despite holding more of the possession and showing themselves to be capable of some fine midfield play, a lack of cutting edge and final ball cost them dearly.

Their poor start, too, did not help. An injury to Tuncay Sanli a quarter-hour in didn't exactly disrupt the flow of the match, given that there was none, and the opening 20 minutes were dull.

After that the Turks began to up the tempo, but it was Wesley Sonck who opened the scoring 30 minutes in for Belgium, very much against the run of play. In swung Vertonghen's free-kick from 50 yards out, and the Club Brugge man was left all but unmarked as he rose above Topal to loop a header past the hesitant Volkan Demirel.

The dozen or so Belgian fans, for the briefest of moments, out-cheered their hosts - at least until the whistling started. This had the desired effect as Emre's fine cross was met by Semih six yards out, but Stijnen got down brilliantly well to save.

Soon afterwards Kompany's headed clearance came only as far as Birinci, whose long-range effort was deflected just wide. After the resulting corner Stijnen had to be at his best to deal with a goalmouth scramble as Turkey turned the screw. Still, the Red Devils, clad in white, held their own until the break.

At the start of the second half a wicked deflection from Emre's shot eventually say Stijnen on the deck as Semih tried a looping header over him, but this was to be cleared off the line with relative ease.

More pressure from the hosts followed, culminating in a disallowed goal 68 minutes in. Good work from Semih and Altintop eventually saw the ball back in the net, but the linesman - acting somewhat late - made an 'active' offside call.

Turkey were well in control, but their final ball was lacking, keeping chances on goal at a premium. In the end, though, they were given the opportunity to net from the spot after Axel Witsel handled the ball on the extreme edge of the area. Up stepped skipper Emre and buried it past Stijnen.

At the other end, a poor challenge on Sonck with seven minutes to go sent the veteran flying. The home fans deemed it time-wasting, but in the end he was taken off in some distress for a late substitution.

Three minutes from time Semih Senturk could have nicked it, but both Filip Daems and Stijnen did enough to put him off his one-on-one.

Belgium were clearly happy with the draw, and the fans' accusations of timewasting bore fruit two minutes from time when Stijnen was booked for same. In the end they can be pleased with their evening's work, as can substitute Gaby Mudingayi, who commanded in the defensive midfield as the game drew to a close.

TURKEY 1-1 BELGIUM
0-1 Sonck 30'
1-1 Emre (pen.) 74'

Turkey: Volkan Demirel; Gokhan Gonul, Gokhan Zan, Servet Cetin, Caglar Birinci; Arda Turan, Emre, Mehmet Topal (Mevlut 69), Tuncay (Halil Altintop 14); Kazim Kazim (Mehmet Topuz 46), Semih Senturk.

Belgium: Stijnen; Vertonghen, Swerts, Kompany, Vermaelen; Simons, Fellaini, Defour (Mudingayi 55), Witsel (Daems 76); Sonck (De Suiter 85), Dembélé.

Yellow Cards: Mehmet Topal 40', Semih Senturk 64' - Swerts 25', Mudingayi 55', Vermaelen 71', Stijnen 88'

Referee: Stephane Lannoy (France)
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M Two One · Sep 10, 2008

Belgium will finish over Turkey.

CelticKing · Sep 11, 2008

Belgium have looked pretty good in the recent games.

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Belgium Hold Turkey In Scrappy Draw

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Belgium Hold Turkey In Scrappy Draw

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