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TURKISH U-21S HIT ARMENIA FOR FOUR, QUALIFY FOR PLAYOFFS
Today's Zaman
Sept 11 2008
Turkey
Turkish U-21 players celebrate after scoring one of their four
goals against Armenia in their Group 2 match at Ä°stanbul Ali Sami
Yen Stadium.
Good soccer teams at times suffer from stage fright, especially when
they are playing away in a hostile and intimidating atmosphere.
Maybe this is what the Turkish U-21s went through when they were
surprisingly beaten 2-1 by minnow Armenia in their 2009 European
Championship Group 2 qualifier in Yerevan last month. Not that the
Armenians would ever score, let alone beat Turkey, if both teams were
to play another 10,000 times.
Vengeance is ours, saith the Turkish U-21s. On Tuesday they outplayed,
outclassed and outscored the Armenian team 4-0 in the last group match
of the qualifying round at Ä°stanbul's Ali Sami Yen. Determined to
settle old scores Turkey took the game to the Armenians right from
the very beginning. Led by inspirational playmaker Batuhan Karadeniz,
the Turkish U-21s gave their opponents no breathing room and succeeded
in reducing the Armenians to soccer novices -- which they really are.
The visiting side literally ran out of ideas as the young Turks
attacked incessantly from left, right and center. Hard work begets
reward and so it was no surprise when Batuhan put Turkey ahead in
the 26th minute. Eren Gungör doubled the score for the Turks at the
eighth minute, Batuhan was again on target to make it 3-0 in the 45th
and Ozer Humarcı sealed the score, 4-0, in the 77th.
The game was played in a cordial atmosphere. On the pitch the players
only concentrated on soccer -- no vicious fouls aimed at hurting
the opponent and no elbowing or feigning fouls to have the opponent
booked or sent off. The several Turkish fans in the stands were also
well behaved: They did not chant curses or cause any trouble as they
cheered on their beloved team to victory.
Sports and politics should not mix nor should they be mixed. They
are two different things altogether and should always remain that way.
--Boundary_(ID_6WotPYR+4NTTlBjV0QaYyg)--
Today's Zaman
Sept 11 2008
Turkey
Turkish U-21 players celebrate after scoring one of their four
goals against Armenia in their Group 2 match at Ä°stanbul Ali Sami
Yen Stadium.
Good soccer teams at times suffer from stage fright, especially when
they are playing away in a hostile and intimidating atmosphere.
Maybe this is what the Turkish U-21s went through when they were
surprisingly beaten 2-1 by minnow Armenia in their 2009 European
Championship Group 2 qualifier in Yerevan last month. Not that the
Armenians would ever score, let alone beat Turkey, if both teams were
to play another 10,000 times.
Vengeance is ours, saith the Turkish U-21s. On Tuesday they outplayed,
outclassed and outscored the Armenian team 4-0 in the last group match
of the qualifying round at Ä°stanbul's Ali Sami Yen. Determined to
settle old scores Turkey took the game to the Armenians right from
the very beginning. Led by inspirational playmaker Batuhan Karadeniz,
the Turkish U-21s gave their opponents no breathing room and succeeded
in reducing the Armenians to soccer novices -- which they really are.
The visiting side literally ran out of ideas as the young Turks
attacked incessantly from left, right and center. Hard work begets
reward and so it was no surprise when Batuhan put Turkey ahead in
the 26th minute. Eren Gungör doubled the score for the Turks at the
eighth minute, Batuhan was again on target to make it 3-0 in the 45th
and Ozer Humarcı sealed the score, 4-0, in the 77th.
The game was played in a cordial atmosphere. On the pitch the players
only concentrated on soccer -- no vicious fouls aimed at hurting
the opponent and no elbowing or feigning fouls to have the opponent
booked or sent off. The several Turkish fans in the stands were also
well behaved: They did not chant curses or cause any trouble as they
cheered on their beloved team to victory.
Sports and politics should not mix nor should they be mixed. They
are two different things altogether and should always remain that way.
--Boundary_(ID_6WotPYR+4NTTlBjV0QaYyg)--