By Myles Palmer
ILHAN MANSIZ scored a fantastic golden goal !
He’s 26, German-born,plays for Besiktas,speaks English.
Hakan Sukur had become such a stumblebum that he was taken off in 66 and this lad came on and was magic.
ILHAN seized the moment.He raised his game.
Turkey needed a hero, the game needed a goal,and ILHAN
scored it,whipping in a half-volley from DAVALA’S right wing cross.
A great move.
In shape and drama the move was a little bit like Arsenal at Anfield for the Micky Thomas goal: RUSTU threw out to ARIF, he was tackled, the ball ran for DAVALA and he raced down the right wing and sent in a perfect bouncing cross that was begging to be buried and ILHAN MANSIZ buried it.
VERY EXCITING STUFF!
LUCIO, watch out! This kid is coming to get you in Wednesday’s semi-final, just as Michael Owen did.
TURKEY deserved to beat Senegal,who were only 60% of the
team they were two weeks ago.
SENEGAL’S rhythm,fluency and composure had vanished.
Diouf too frantic,Camara too hasty, Fadiga off-form.
They still won tackles,looked strong, but it always felt like a game too far for the West African wonders.
90 minutes to put them in the semi-finals was a stretch for Senegal at their first World Cup.
They were unable to play their normal game against a very good Turkey side who can stop almost anybody from playing their normal game.
THIS MORNING IT WAS SOUTH KOREA v SPAIN.
It was fascinating : energy v class-and class should have won.
Spain were robbed of a good goal by MORIENTES when he headed in JOAQUIN’S cross two minutes into extra time.
The linesman flagged to indicate that the ball had gone out.
He was either a coward or a cheat or utterly incompetent because he was in a perfect position to see that the ball had NOT gone out.
MORIENTES also ran onto a throw and smacked the ball
against the far post just after that.
SOUTH KOREA are a smashing side who train with 100% dedication, as France did in 1998.
They run and work with superhuman energy. That must satisfy coach GUUS HIDDINK in a way that Holland never did in Euro 96 or France 98.
Extra time,no golden goal,shoot-out goes to 3-3, Joaquin sees his penalty saved, HONG scores to make it five out of five and the whole of South Korea goes bananas!!!!!
It’s a thrilling and unique success story.
But their opponents have had so many valid goals disallowed that it can’t be co-incidence.
How does it look to you?
Since BLATTER runs FIFA by legalised bribery,could this World Cup be fixed?
Does The World Cup exist mainly to expand football’s commercial empire?
Or to pit the best teams against each other?
22 June 2002.