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Turkey leads Group C with 12 points from four games. It is also worth noting that this is the first goal the Turks have conceded
in four qualifying matches. Greece is second with nine points and Bosnia, a 2-1 winner at Norway is a distant third.
 
Turkey fought back from a goal down to earn an emphatic 4-1 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying win in Greece that puts the Turks in the driving seat in Group C. The Turks went in level at halftime before three goals in the second period wrapped up the points and gave them the edge over their Greek rivals with a maximum 12 points from four games.

“It’s always difficult to get a result in Greece,” Turkey coach Fatih Terim said. “We had a difficult time in the beginning but the score just came on its own. We have gained a great advantage after beating our main group opponents today. It gives us some credit and we’re allowed to slip up in the future,” he told reporters.

He told reporters his team responded admirably after Greece took the lead, keeping their cool and growing in confidence. “I told my players everything would go well (and) not to worry even if they lost but they turned it around,” Terim said.

“We started well, went ahead but for some inexplicable reason pulled back and allowed our opponents to control the game and gain confidence,” Greece coach Otto Rehhagel said. “We didn’t keep them on the ropes like a boxer when we led 1-0.”

Sotiris Kyrgiakos gave the defending champion the lead in the fifth minute, but Tuncay Şanlı leveled for Turkey in the 25th.

Göhkan Ünal made it 2-1 in the 55th and Tümer Metin added a third in the 70th. Late substitute Gökdeniz Karadeniz completed the rout in the 80th.

Turkey leads Group C with 12 points from four games. It is also worthy to note that this is the first goal the Turks have conceded in four qualifying matches. Greece is second with nine points and Bosnia a 2-1 winner at Norway is a distant third.

Greece got off to a strong start at the sold-out Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium when Kyrgiakos picked up a loose ball in the box and scored. Turkey regained its composure and equalized in the 25th when Sabri Sarıoğlu’s shot was intercepted by Tuncay, who beat Antonis Nikopolidis.

The Turks missed chances through Hakan Şükür and Tuncay before Gökhan made it 2-1 early in the second half with a low drive from the edge of the area.

Greece pushed forward for an equalizer but Fanis Gekas hit the post in the 68th and, moments later, midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos shot wide with only goalkeeper Volkan Demirel to beat.

But Turkey continued to dominate and Tümer increased the lead to 3-1 in the 70th when Nikopolidis misjudged his shot from the edge of the box.

Yianis Amanatidis almost pulled a goal back for Greece in the 80th but his close range strike hit the post.

Gökdeniz made it 4-1 two minutes later when he dribbled past two defenders and slid the ball into the net.

“There are no excuses. We conceded four goals,” Giannakopoulos said. “We need guts to move forward and leave this match behind us, even though this will be difficult.”

“I never expected such a scoreline when playing Greece at home,” Terim said.  “But that is the beauty of this game. Now the match against Norway (in Frankfurt on Wednesday) becomes more important because we can move further ahead.”

He did have a word of consolation though for Rehhagel, who was the hero after leading Greece to the title at Euro 2004 but faced the wrath of the fans after the final whistle.

“No coach should go through such a night as tonight,”  Terim said. Rehhagel on his part said, “Now we have to stomach this defeat and prepare for Malta on Wednesday.”