was neal all 0 - 0 we are stil 2 points in front <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/default/grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/default/grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/default/grin.gif" /> <br /><br />from the worldcup site<br /><br />Greece make their point in Istanbul stalemate<br /><br /><br />Greece took a major step towards the finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ after earning a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Turkey in Istanbul on Saturday night - a result that maintains their two-point advantage over their rivals in the battle for second place in Group 2. <br />With group leaders Ukraine having moved six points clear by beating Kazakhstan earlier in the day, Turkey and Greece were effectively fighting it out for second place in the section - a position that could well be enough to earn a place in Germany. <br /><br />Otto Rehhagel's side went into the match with 14 points, narrowly ahead of Turkey on 12. The reigning European champions knew that victory on the banks of the Bosphorus would all but secure the runners-up spot and leave Turkey, the team that finished third at the 2002 finals in Korea/Japan, needing a minor miracle to overtake them in the four remaining matches. <br /><br />"If we can win here, we will be practically on the way to Germany," Rehhagel had admitted and his line-up was notably attack-minded, with Georgios Karagounis, Konstantinos Katsouranis and Angelos Charisteas, three forwards at least in name, on the pitch right from the start. By contrast, Turkey were relying on the presence up front of Fatih Tekke, who already had five goals to his name in qualifying. <br /><br />Greece, meanwhile, had to do without defensive linchpin Traianos Dellas in the cauldron of the Inonu Stadium, with Angelos Basinas stepping in to take his place. Even with a lone striker, Turkey spelt their intent to attack in a hectic opening spell, in which Emre Belozoglu had the best chance for the home side, but Antonios Nikopolidis was able to parry his shot from eight metres. Following up, Emre sent the ball narrowly wide. <br /><br />Rehhagel had evidently prepared his side to see off a Turkish onslaught in the first quarter of an hour before seizing the initiative themselves, and that is how it panned out. The longer the first half continued, the more Greece came into the game. Charisteas missed the best chance for the visitors in the 38th minute when Rustu Recber tipped away his header. <br /><br />In a first period of few chances, the Turks performed well below the huge expectations of their fans. Indeed without posing much of a threat in front of goal, Greece controlled the pace of the game and their composure on the ball began to frustrate the hosts, prompting a chorus of whistles from the home supporters at the half-time whistle. <br /><br />Turkey coach Ersun Yanal responded at the break by sending on Tuncay Sanli, a second striker, for Koray Avci. The new emphasis on attack almost brought immediate dividends but in the 50th minute Fatih's close-range header lacked the accuracy to beat Antonios Nikopolidis in the Greek goal and he was able to gather the ball comfortably. <br /><br />By contrast Rustu, his counterpart in the Turkish goal, could only stretch in vain for a searing shot from Stylianos Giannakopoulos, but luckily for the hosts the ball rebounded from the crossbar. <br /><br />It was soon time for Yanal to throw caution to the wind and he added a third forward by sending on Necati Ates for Gokdeniz Karadeniz in the 60th minute. Nine minutes later Tuncay had a chance to break the deadlock, but his shot shaved the post, as did a header from the same player two minutes later. <br /><br />In a hectic finale, Turkey threw everything into a desperate search for a goal, but that left Greece free for counterattacks that could equally have settled the game in their favour. The final whistle went with the score goalless, a fair result on the night but one that is much more helpful to the Greeks than to Turkey. <br /><br />A further setback for Turkey is that they will now miss midfielder Yildiray Basturk in next week's match in Kazakhstan after he was sent off in the last minute after receiving a second yellow card for dissent.<br /> <br /> <small>[ 05. June 2005, 08:49 AM: Message edited by: -.Lazer.- ]</small>