Turkey to test World Cup dreams in Bosnia tonight

YAYINLAMA
GÜNCELLEME

Nearing its most crucial turning point on the way to the 2010 World Cup, Turkey will play its most important game of the qualifying round group tonight when it takes on Bosnia and Herzegovina , which has performed above expectations in the qualifying group. While Group 5 has been dominated by European champion Spain , which won all of its seven games, Turkey has found itself in a race for the second spot along with surprise entry Bosnia and Herzegovina . Spain is at 21 points, Bosnia and Herzegovina has 15, and Turkey is at 11 points with only three games left to play. In order to get to the playoff rounds, this is Turkey ’s best chance to catch up with Bosnia and Herzegovina , now chasing its first-ever World Cup qualification. The Turkish national team, which defeated Estonia 4-2 in its previous qualifying match in the central Anatolian province of Kayseri over the weekend, arrived in Zenica on Monday knowing it has to beat the Bosnians in today's all-important game or forget about next summer's World Cup finals in South Africa . "This is a match we have to win," Turkish Soccer Federation (TFF) President Mahmut Ozgener said, adding that the team was going to Zenica in good spirits thanks to their victory over Estonia . Turkey coach Fatih Terim predicted the Bosnia match would be challenging. "It's going to be a tough clash," he said. "They (the Bosnians) are in go form. On paper they seem to have the advantage. But after the match we will all see who has the advantage. We want to return to Turkey with good news." Terim will be forced to make changes to Saturday's starting lineup after several key players got sidelined by injury.