06/18/2002

Associated Press

MIYAGI, Japan – Turkey broke Japanese hearts with a 1-0 victory that knocked the co-host out of the World Cup on Tuesday.

Umit Davala, rising high and unmarked in the penalty area with his Mohawk hairdo, scored on a header off a corner kick in the 12th minute, putting Turkey in the quarterfinals for the first time, against Senegal.

The other host, South Korea, was playing Italy later Tuesday for the final spot in the next round, with the winner to meet Spain.

Japan, in the second round for the first time, was cheered on by a loud crowd in blue shirts in the driving rain. After the game, many of them sobbed in the stands, while Turkish fans back in Istanbul poured into the streets and squares to celebrate.

AP Turkey's Umit Davala (22) heads the ball past Japan goalie Siego Narazaki for the only goal of the match.

"This great Japanese adventure is now over. Today I am very proud to have led this team, and to have worn the Japanese colors for four years," coach Philippe Troussier said, choking back tears. He has said he would leave the team after the World Cup.

"I say 'Bravo' to this team. It played with dignity. We showed that we can live with the best footballing sides."

Brazilian-born midfielder Alessandro Santos came closest to tying the score, but his curling free kick from the edge of the box crashed off the crossbar in the 41st minute.

In the early stages, neither side got a grip on the game because of the wet, slippery field.

The breakthrough came after Japan conceded an unnecessary corner kick with a poor backpass, one of many passing mistakes by the Japanese. Ergun Penbe took the well-placed corner and Davala rose to the occasion.

The Turks, launching several counterattacks, almost made it 2-0 in the 24th minute when a lofted pass found Hakan Sukur breaking into the box on the left. But his ambitious lob was kept out by Japanese goalie Seigo Narazaki.

Moments later, Sukur knocked the ball into the path of Hasan Sas, whose powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area flew over the bar.

Turkey is in the World Cup for only the second time and had been absent since 1954.

"We wanted to see ourselves on the world stage," coach Senol Gunes said.

Paying tribute to the opposition, he urged the Japanese to remain upbeat.

"We'll continue to represent Japan in the last stages of the World Cup," he said.

There were few early glimpses of the fluent, attacking soccer that Japan showed while winning its group in the first round.

But as the half drew to an end, Japan got back in the match, prompted by the energetic Santos and Hidetoshi Nakata.

In the second half, Takayuki Suzuki and Daisuke Ichikawa were brought on by Troussier.

Japan put on a lot of pressure as the Turks sat back to try to hold their lead.

Nakata lifted the home fans' spirits with a 52nd minute drive from 20 yards out that was deflected and went straight at Turkish goalie Rustu Recber.

Shinji Ono was behind much of his team's attacks from midfield. In the 61st minute, Akinori Nishizawa tested Recber with a strong header from a right-wing cross.

The pace of the game picked up considerably, and both sides were attacking. But the strong Turkish back four managed to stop everything Japan could throw at it.

The Japanese had to settle for long-range strikes that rarely troubled the Turks.