Turkey sends warning signals to opponents with Ukranie triumph

The Turkish national football coach, Fatih Terim, hailed his team’s "impressive" victory over Ukraine in their friendly on Wednesday. Tuncay Sanli, Servet Cetin and Hamit Altintop struck Ukraine in the 58th, 62nd and 64th minutes respectively in the match played in Kiev, to give Turkey a solid 3-0 victory. It was an exhibition match but the result was enough to give Turkey hope before two crucial games in early September. Terim’s boys will welcome Estonia on Sept. 1, and will then take on Bosnia and Herzegovina three days later in two matches in European Group 5 of the World Cup 2010 qualifying rounds. South Africa will host the world's biggest football event next summer. Terim said that the result was impressive and a worthy outcome of the team’s performance. "An impressive performance, an impressive score line and an impressive national team," said Terim at the press conference after the game. "That trio stands well with what we have seen tonight." The coach added that his team was very focused even though it was a friendly fixture. "My players played with high concentration and were serious throughout the game," he said. "Being in the right place at the right time, you can make the impossible possible,” Terim said philosophically. "Some of our players were better than others, but overall we played well. With marking, first touch and ball control our defense made no mistakes," he added, saying "At the end, we had an impressive result, not giving too many chances to our opposition. I congratulate my players." Even the coach of defeated Ukraine, Oleksiy Mykhailychenko, heaped praise on the Turkish team. "They got a well deserved victory," Mykhailychenko said without mincing words. "They are a very skillful side, and their play is characterized by short quick passes. We lost to a better side, and I apologize to the Ukrainian fans," he further said. The nine European group winners will qualify automatically for South Africa, while the best eight of the nine European runners-up will play a two-leg playoff. With Spain (18 points) almost certain to go through as the leader in Group 5, the battle is now between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina for second place and a berth in the playoffs. On paper, second-placed Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 12 points, seemingly has the advantage with four games to go. So Turkey, with 8 points, must turn this disadvantage into advantage by beating Estonia at home on Sept. 5, Bosnia and Herzegovina away four days later, Belgium away on Oct. 10 and Armenia at home on Oct. 14. "We have to win all our remaining our matches, as we have no other alternative," Terim said before Wednesday's Ukraine match.