ST. ETIENNE, France, 25 June 2003 — Turkey lined up a Confederations Cup semifinal with holders France after knocking world champions Brazil out of the tournament in a thrilling 2-2 draw on Monday.
Brazil, who needed a win to go through, took a fully-deserved first half lead through Adriano, but were rocked by Gokdeniz Karadeniz’s equalizer in the 53rd minute and pole-axed by an 81st minute strike by substitute Okan Yilmaz.
Brazil substitute Alex equalized in the third minute of stoppage time, but they had Ronaldinho dismissed for a second yellow card in the closing seconds — for wrestling with Turkey keeper Rustu Recber for the ball after Alex’s goal.
Both teams finished with four points and the same goal difference but Senol Gunes’s side went through on goals scored — four to Brazil’s three.
Group B winners Cameroon, who drew 0-0 with the United States, will play Colombia in the other semifinal, with both games being played on Thursday.
Brazil, who lost their opening game 1-0 to Cameroon, will be kicking themselves after squandering the chance to be three goals in front by halftime. Brazil made by far the better start, with Ilan meeting Kleberson’s cross to the far post with a powerful header that beat Rustu but slammed against the post. Rustu had no better luck minutes later, when he flapped at a high ball to the far post and was robbed of possession by Ronaldinho. Adriano collected his square pass but the striker’s shot was cleared off the line by skipper Bulent Korkmaz. There was no escape for Turkey, though, in the 23rd minute when a long punt upfield caught the defense napping and Adriano was able to knock the ball over the advancing Rustu.
Adriano turned potential goalmaker with a sidefoot pass for Kleberson, who fluffed his shot, as Brazil comfortably saw out the half in full control of the match. That situation took a turn for the worse for the South Americans eight minutes after the restart, though, when Turkey defender Ibrahim Uzulmez chipped the ball over the Brazil rearguard.
In a copycat finish to Adriano’s goal, Karadeniz lobbed the ball over the advancing Dida for his second international goal to put Gunes’s men back on course for the semifinals.
The goal blew the match wide open, with Brazil frantically pushing forward in search of a winner and Turkey looking to use the pace and dribbling of striker Tuncay Sanli on the break.
The cut and thrust was bound to draw blood sooner or later and the triumph went to Turkey when Yilidiray Basturk sprinted through on the break and slipped the ball wide for Yilmaz to score.
Alex’s strike in a pulsating finale could only make the scoreline more respectable for Carlos Alberto Parreira’s side, who were missing the likes of Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos and Cafu for the tournament.
