Turkey open campaign with victory over USA

Striker Tuncay Sanli celebrated his debut for Turkey by scoring the winner in a 2-1 victory over the United States in their Confederations…

Striker Tuncay Sanli celebrated his debut for Turkey by scoring the winner in a 2-1 victory over the United States in their Confederations Cup opener this evening.

DaMarcus Beasley headed the USA into a 37th-minute lead against the run of play, but Okan Yilmaz levelled from the penalty spot three minutes later and Sanli tapped home the second in the 73rd minute to seal the win in Group B.

With neither coach fielding anything like the sides who enabled Turkey to finish third at the 2002 World Cup and the United States to reach the quarter-finals, the encounter at a half-empty stadium was never going to be memorable.

Turkey, who could have been three goals ahead by the break, deserved their win, in a match notable for the French supporters who booed and whistled the United States throughout the game at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard.

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Brazil take on Cameroon in the the second Group B game in Paris later on Thursday.