Tuncay inspires Turkey triumph

Tuncay Şanlı capped a fine performance with the only goal of the game as Turkey made it two wins in two Group C games with their first-ever victory in Hungary.

Emphatic volley
A lively presence throughout, Tuncay struck four minutes before half-time to earn the points for Fatih Terim's team, controlling a Servet Çetin free-kick in the penalty area and volleying it past Gábor Király and into the roof of the net. Tuncay almost repeated the feat in the closing stages with another volley but this time could not keep it down although it mattered not as Turkey held on to win in Hungary at the sixth time of asking.

Tuncay threat
Much of the credit went to Tuncay, who gave warning of what was to come as early as the sixth minute when he cut in from the left and unleashed a rasping shot from the edge of the box that flashed over the crossbar. He came closer with a volley just after the half-hour and his sights were finally set four minutes before the interval when he thumped in the opener. Hungary offered little in return, their lacklustre performance exemplified by a first-half Szabolcs Huszti free-kick from 25 metres that never threatened Rüştü Reçber's goal.

Király let-off
Instead chances continued to fall at the other end with Sabrı Sarıoğlu blasting over the bar when Király fumbled Arda Turan's cross into his path, and then watching his lob drop the wrong side of the bar. Sándor Torghelle and Péter Kabát offered some threat as the game reached its conclusion but it was too little, too late as Hungary were left with three points from three games ahead of Wednesday's match in Malta. Turkey host Moldova on the same night.