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When the tournament began in earnest on the final day of May, few, particularly the demanding press and supporters back home, predicted that Brazil would reach the World Cup semi-finals with such ease.
There were so many unanswered questions. Was the shaky looking back three going stand up to the rigours of so many testing games within such a close proximately of each other? Just how much of a blow was the loss of captain Emerson after that most unfortunate training ground accident? Could Rivaldo finally emulate his form for Barcelona with consistent displays for his country? And finally, had Ronaldo put behind him four miserable years of injury to once again shine on the world stage?
The latter two questions have undoubted been answered to everyone's satisfaction. Rivaldo has silenced many of his biggest critics with some fine displays in the five games up to now, and with five goals to his name already, is a good bet to pick up the Golden Boot when the finals end. His partner-in-crime Ronaldo is also on five goals (although how that first effort against Costa Rica stood, one will never know) and has displayed enough of the old trickery and nifty footwork to suggest that El Phenomenon is at last on the way back and ready to hit the heights once again. He remains a real speed merchant too.
Gilberto Silva may not be the quickest thing on two legs but he's done a worthy job replacing the injured Emerson. The Atletico Mineiro man simply sits in front of the back three breaking up the opposition play and then giving the ball to those more skilful souls around him. Emerson may offer much more going forward but in all truth Gilberto Silva has provided a more than adequate replacement.
Luiz Felipe Scolari's side began the tournament with many pointing to their weak defence, and despite reaching the semi-finals with consummate ease, the doubts remain. The mistake by Lucio against England was symbolic of the lack of concentration that could cost Brazil dear in this semi-final or the final should they get there. Edmilson has also come in for criticism for his tendency to run the ball out of defence when the simple boot upfield would be more appropriate. Roque Junior, who actually had a good game against England, is another who the Turks, and Hakan Sukur in particular will believe they can exploit. Still, as the old motto goes – you score three, we'll score four. Rarely was the saying so apt.
The build-up to this eagerly anticipated clash has, surprisingly, not been dominated by the petty war of words that many expected after that first bad-tempered game between the pair. Having said that Rivaldo was surely unwise to suggest that Turkey should be grateful to Brazil for even being in the World Cup semi-finals. True, Brazil's thrashing of Costa Rica is the reason that Turkey have progressed this far, but the wounds from that first encounter where Rivaldo so disgracefully playacted to get Hakan Unsal sent-off are still likely to be very much open. Uncompromising centre-back Alpay and other such hatchet men are unlikely to have forgotten.
Turkey are, with South Korea, one of this World Cup's major surprises. There is no doubt about that, but now the question is: can they go any further than this? Blessed with confidence, Senol Gunes' men believe they have a chance against Brazil, but they will have to leave the grudges of their shaky first round encounter behind. Provocation is what could sweep Turkey out of this World Cup if they do not keep their temper. Brazil know it all too well and they will probably push their sometimes touchy opponents to the brink with comments or nasty fouls.
However, for once, the stakes are too high to give in to the desire to enact vengeance upon a rival team. This is a World Cup semi final, and it takes surgical patience and precision to go through. The case of France four years ago is appropriate: Croatia were a tad provocative and even took the lead; however this failed to unsettle les Bleus, who patiently made their way to the final. Only experienced defender Laurent Blanc blew a fuse when he punched Slaven Bilic in the dying moments of the game, but victory was wrapped by then.
Now Turkey have the right stuff to go one step further and claim a dramatic spot in Sunday's Yokohama Final. They showed it against Senegal and Japan in the previous rounds. What was unknown by the broader audience is their undoubted squad depth. Agains the Teranga Lions, Ilhan Mansiz made quite an impact when he came on to score a historic golden goal. Of course this was no surprise to our fine Turkish readers, but the rest of the World instantly realised there was more to Turkey than meets the eye.
LATEST TEAM NEWS
Ronaldo is set to take to the field for Brazil after recovering from muscular problems in his right thigh. Should the Inter man suffer a late relapse, Luizao would step in. Goalkeeper Marcos has recovered from a training ground knock, but Ronaldinho is suspended after his red card against England. Juninho will come in.
Turkey boss Senol Gunes indicated he was still undecided about who he should field up front against Brazil with doubts over Hakan Sukur's participation growing due to a recurring thigh injury. Ilhan Mansiz is in the frame for a possible replacement, but now Gunes sensationally revealed he could pair them up front. A change of tactics is also being considered by Gunes, who could be more daring than in Turkey's first encounter with the Tetracampeao outfit. The Turkish boss could then rely on a 5-man midfield, with Milan-based pair Emre & Umit both playing key roles. Fatih, Bulent and Alpay are set to be given the three places in defence, while Hakan Unsal is definitely out due to an ankle injury.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Brazil (3-5-2) : Marcos - Edmilson, Lucio, Roque Junior - Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Gilberto Silva, Kleberson, Juninho - Rivaldo, Ronaldo
Turkey (3-5-2) : Rustu - Fatih, Bulent, Alpay - Emre Belozoglu, Tugay, Ergun, Yildiray Basturk, Umit Davala - Hasan Sas, Hakan Sukur or Ilhan
ROAD TO THE SEMIFINALS
Brazil began the tournament with that highly controversial 2-1 win over Turkey courtesy of a Ronaldo effort and a late, controversial, penalty from Rivaldo. China were then thrashed 4-0 before a comfortable 5-2 win over Costa Rica. Then came a 2-0 win over Belgium which was never as comfortable as the scoreline suggests. More comfortable was the 2-1 win over England, when Scolari's men held out with ease after being reduced to ten men in the 57th minute.
Turkey were pitted in a bizarre group in the first round, with almighty-yet-underestimated Brazil, rookies China and unpredictable Costa Rica. A nervous first game against Brazil ended in torment for Gunes' men, who lost 2-1 and had two players red-carded (Alpay and Hakan Unsal). From this unfortunate experience stems Gunes' defiance towards the referees in this World Cup, like some of his European colleagues. Turkey's hopes to reach the knock-out phase were hit by a poor draw with Costa Rica. They later strolled to victory against China, while Brazil were busy steamrolling over Costa Rica to allow Turkey into the next round to tie up a match with hosts Japan. A slick 1-0 victory was enough for Turkey, who went on to beat an exhausted Senegal team in the Quarter Finals.
WHO'S HOT
Brazil: Rivaldo's confidence must be at a real high. The Barcelona man looks like scoring at any moment, and with five goals in five games up to now, who would bet against him extending his tally? His reunion with Gunes' men is not one to be missed.
Turkey: Ilhan Mansiz scored a vital golden goal agains tired Senegal in the Quarter Finals. He entered halfway through the second half to claim a place in the Turkish history books with his goal, but this should not overshadow his sheer qualities. His instictive talent and flair are assets Senol Gunes cannot ignore any longer, at the risk of getting the chop against Brazil.
WHO'S NOT
Brazil: Lucio will have been told to forget about his dreadful mistake against England but it's likely to still be lingering somewhere near the back of his mind. Next time the boot upfield is likely to suffice for the Bayer Leverkusen man.
Turkey: it's all too easy to point fingers of blame at Hakan Sukur, who has played the entire tournament undermined by a thigh injury. It's a pity for the "Bull", but one has to admit his glory days are behind by now. His last two seasons in Italy were not satisfying but he nontheless managed to maintain decent form with Turkey. Now even this has been taken away from him. The younger should be given more space, as Hakan is definitely struggling now.
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
Should we mention these two got involved in a spicy first round match? Just one friendly match was played between Brazil and Turkey before this World Cup: in medireview 1956, the Auriverde defeated Turkey 1-0 in Istanbul.
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When the tournament began in earnest on the final day of May, few, particularly the demanding press and supporters back home, predicted that Brazil would reach the World Cup semi-finals with such ease.
There were so many unanswered questions. Was the shaky looking back three going stand up to the rigours of so many testing games within such a close proximately of each other? Just how much of a blow was the loss of captain Emerson after that most unfortunate training ground accident? Could Rivaldo finally emulate his form for Barcelona with consistent displays for his country? And finally, had Ronaldo put behind him four miserable years of injury to once again shine on the world stage?
The latter two questions have undoubted been answered to everyone's satisfaction. Rivaldo has silenced many of his biggest critics with some fine displays in the five games up to now, and with five goals to his name already, is a good bet to pick up the Golden Boot when the finals end. His partner-in-crime Ronaldo is also on five goals (although how that first effort against Costa Rica stood, one will never know) and has displayed enough of the old trickery and nifty footwork to suggest that El Phenomenon is at last on the way back and ready to hit the heights once again. He remains a real speed merchant too.
Gilberto Silva may not be the quickest thing on two legs but he's done a worthy job replacing the injured Emerson. The Atletico Mineiro man simply sits in front of the back three breaking up the opposition play and then giving the ball to those more skilful souls around him. Emerson may offer much more going forward but in all truth Gilberto Silva has provided a more than adequate replacement.
Luiz Felipe Scolari's side began the tournament with many pointing to their weak defence, and despite reaching the semi-finals with consummate ease, the doubts remain. The mistake by Lucio against England was symbolic of the lack of concentration that could cost Brazil dear in this semi-final or the final should they get there. Edmilson has also come in for criticism for his tendency to run the ball out of defence when the simple boot upfield would be more appropriate. Roque Junior, who actually had a good game against England, is another who the Turks, and Hakan Sukur in particular will believe they can exploit. Still, as the old motto goes – you score three, we'll score four. Rarely was the saying so apt.
The build-up to this eagerly anticipated clash has, surprisingly, not been dominated by the petty war of words that many expected after that first bad-tempered game between the pair. Having said that Rivaldo was surely unwise to suggest that Turkey should be grateful to Brazil for even being in the World Cup semi-finals. True, Brazil's thrashing of Costa Rica is the reason that Turkey have progressed this far, but the wounds from that first encounter where Rivaldo so disgracefully playacted to get Hakan Unsal sent-off are still likely to be very much open. Uncompromising centre-back Alpay and other such hatchet men are unlikely to have forgotten.
Turkey are, with South Korea, one of this World Cup's major surprises. There is no doubt about that, but now the question is: can they go any further than this? Blessed with confidence, Senol Gunes' men believe they have a chance against Brazil, but they will have to leave the grudges of their shaky first round encounter behind. Provocation is what could sweep Turkey out of this World Cup if they do not keep their temper. Brazil know it all too well and they will probably push their sometimes touchy opponents to the brink with comments or nasty fouls.
However, for once, the stakes are too high to give in to the desire to enact vengeance upon a rival team. This is a World Cup semi final, and it takes surgical patience and precision to go through. The case of France four years ago is appropriate: Croatia were a tad provocative and even took the lead; however this failed to unsettle les Bleus, who patiently made their way to the final. Only experienced defender Laurent Blanc blew a fuse when he punched Slaven Bilic in the dying moments of the game, but victory was wrapped by then.
Now Turkey have the right stuff to go one step further and claim a dramatic spot in Sunday's Yokohama Final. They showed it against Senegal and Japan in the previous rounds. What was unknown by the broader audience is their undoubted squad depth. Agains the Teranga Lions, Ilhan Mansiz made quite an impact when he came on to score a historic golden goal. Of course this was no surprise to our fine Turkish readers, but the rest of the World instantly realised there was more to Turkey than meets the eye.
LATEST TEAM NEWS
Ronaldo is set to take to the field for Brazil after recovering from muscular problems in his right thigh. Should the Inter man suffer a late relapse, Luizao would step in. Goalkeeper Marcos has recovered from a training ground knock, but Ronaldinho is suspended after his red card against England. Juninho will come in.
Turkey boss Senol Gunes indicated he was still undecided about who he should field up front against Brazil with doubts over Hakan Sukur's participation growing due to a recurring thigh injury. Ilhan Mansiz is in the frame for a possible replacement, but now Gunes sensationally revealed he could pair them up front. A change of tactics is also being considered by Gunes, who could be more daring than in Turkey's first encounter with the Tetracampeao outfit. The Turkish boss could then rely on a 5-man midfield, with Milan-based pair Emre & Umit both playing key roles. Fatih, Bulent and Alpay are set to be given the three places in defence, while Hakan Unsal is definitely out due to an ankle injury.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Brazil (3-5-2) : Marcos - Edmilson, Lucio, Roque Junior - Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Gilberto Silva, Kleberson, Juninho - Rivaldo, Ronaldo
Turkey (3-5-2) : Rustu - Fatih, Bulent, Alpay - Emre Belozoglu, Tugay, Ergun, Yildiray Basturk, Umit Davala - Hasan Sas, Hakan Sukur or Ilhan
ROAD TO THE SEMIFINALS
Brazil began the tournament with that highly controversial 2-1 win over Turkey courtesy of a Ronaldo effort and a late, controversial, penalty from Rivaldo. China were then thrashed 4-0 before a comfortable 5-2 win over Costa Rica. Then came a 2-0 win over Belgium which was never as comfortable as the scoreline suggests. More comfortable was the 2-1 win over England, when Scolari's men held out with ease after being reduced to ten men in the 57th minute.
Turkey were pitted in a bizarre group in the first round, with almighty-yet-underestimated Brazil, rookies China and unpredictable Costa Rica. A nervous first game against Brazil ended in torment for Gunes' men, who lost 2-1 and had two players red-carded (Alpay and Hakan Unsal). From this unfortunate experience stems Gunes' defiance towards the referees in this World Cup, like some of his European colleagues. Turkey's hopes to reach the knock-out phase were hit by a poor draw with Costa Rica. They later strolled to victory against China, while Brazil were busy steamrolling over Costa Rica to allow Turkey into the next round to tie up a match with hosts Japan. A slick 1-0 victory was enough for Turkey, who went on to beat an exhausted Senegal team in the Quarter Finals.
WHO'S HOT
Brazil: Rivaldo's confidence must be at a real high. The Barcelona man looks like scoring at any moment, and with five goals in five games up to now, who would bet against him extending his tally? His reunion with Gunes' men is not one to be missed.
Turkey: Ilhan Mansiz scored a vital golden goal agains tired Senegal in the Quarter Finals. He entered halfway through the second half to claim a place in the Turkish history books with his goal, but this should not overshadow his sheer qualities. His instictive talent and flair are assets Senol Gunes cannot ignore any longer, at the risk of getting the chop against Brazil.
WHO'S NOT
Brazil: Lucio will have been told to forget about his dreadful mistake against England but it's likely to still be lingering somewhere near the back of his mind. Next time the boot upfield is likely to suffice for the Bayer Leverkusen man.
Turkey: it's all too easy to point fingers of blame at Hakan Sukur, who has played the entire tournament undermined by a thigh injury. It's a pity for the "Bull", but one has to admit his glory days are behind by now. His last two seasons in Italy were not satisfying but he nontheless managed to maintain decent form with Turkey. Now even this has been taken away from him. The younger should be given more space, as Hakan is definitely struggling now.
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
Should we mention these two got involved in a spicy first round match? Just one friendly match was played between Brazil and Turkey before this World Cup: in medireview 1956, the Auriverde defeated Turkey 1-0 in Istanbul.
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