Euro 2012 Qualifying: Turkey Stays Perfect, Downs Belgium 3-2

In the first battle between teams expected to compete for Group A’s second place, Turkey held home pitch with a 3-2 victory over 10-man Belgium. Midfielder Ada Turan’s second goal of qualifying, fourteen minutes after Vincent Kompany had picked up a second yellow card, proved the winning goal for Guus Hiddink’s team, who stayed perfect through two matches.

Turan’s goal came nine minutes after Belgium had equalized despite being a man down, veteran defender Daniel van Buyten having recorded his second goal of the match. Turan’s winner, however, pushed the Belgians to six points behind Turkey, having suffered two, one goal losses to open qualifying.

Van Buyten recorded the first goal of the match, heading Belgium in front at 28 minutes. The lead lasted through halftime, though Hamit Altintop scored for the home team only three minutes after intermission. Semih Tenturk put Turkey ahead two minutes after Kompany’s dismissal.

Goals:

28’ - Daniel Van Buyten 1

48’ - Hamit Altintop 2

66’ - Semih Senturk 1

69’ - Daniel Van Buyten 2

78’ - Ada Turan 2

Discipline:

32’ - Emre Belozoglu (Yellow)

40’ - Vincent Kompany (Yellow)

45’ - Daniel van Buyten (Yellow)

64 - Vincent Kompany (Second Yellow)

90’ - Toby Alderweireld (Yellow)

90’ - Selcuk Sahin (Yellow)

Lineups:

Turkey: Kivrak, Sariglu (Gonul 73’), Erdogan, Cetin, Koybasi, Hamit Altimtop, Belozoglu, Turan, Aurelio, Inan (Senturk 47’), Tuncay (Sahin 82’)

Belgium: Bailly, Kompany, Van Buyten, Vermaelen, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Simons, Gillet (Hazard 82’), Fellaini, Dembele (Mirallas 63’), Lukaku (Witsel 76’)

Goals

2

Hamit Altintop, Turkey
Ada Turan, Turkey
Daniel van Buyten, Belgium

1

Nihat Kahveci, Turkey
Miroslav Klose, Germany
Semih Senturk, Turkey