Dubious penalty gives Italy controversial victory

With the Italian defence static, Buruk Okan equalised nine minutes later with a simple header from a Sergen Yalcin freekick but then Inzaghi’s spot-kick after 70 minutes proved decisive although his fall under a challenge from Ogun Temizkenoglu was at best theatrical.

Inzagi admitted: "This penalty was a lucky one. It was a debatable penalty but we reacted very well. "It was a penalty the referee could have given or could have refused." When Scottish referee Hugh Dallas awarded the penalty the Turks reacted with fury and supporters behind the goal hailed missiles at the official. Inzaghi had to wait until the penalty area was cleared of debris and Turkish and Italian players squared up to each other as tempers flared. The whistles and jeers failed to distract Inzaghi who made no mistake with his penalty, firing low into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Italy should have taken a firm grip on the match when they were 1-0 up and Roma striker Francesco Totti almost doubled their lead but his powerful header smacked against the crossbar with Inzaghi’s follow up scrambled away by Ogun on the line. Turkey did well to battle back only to be foiled by the dubious decision by Dallas.

Clearly shocked the Turks seemed to lose composure and three times Italy substitute Alessandro Del Piero, on for an ineffectual Stefano Fiore, went close. First he rattled the bar with a freekick, then he shot just wide after a solo dribble and then Alpay scrambled his shot off the line. In injury time Del Piero then set up fellow substitute Angelo Di Livio who scored but his shot was ruled offside by Dallas in another marginal decision.

Chances were few and far between in the first half with Sergen Yalcin turning and firing wide of the post for Turkey after 14 minutes with keeper Francesco Toldo well beaten. Three minutes later Inzaghi missed Italy’s best chance of the opening period when he headed Fiore’s inviting cross wide of Rustu Recber’s post.

Turkish fans, most of them decked in red and white shirts and making plenty of noise, took over the 30,000 capacity stadium, vastly outnumbering the Italians. But it was the Italians who had more to shout about in the opening phase of the match with far more possession against a nervous-looking Turkey but the final pass often let them down. Towards the end of the first half Turkey were beginning to grow in confidence and started stringing passes together but their star striker Hakan Sukur was frequently crowded out by a massed Italian defence despite the best efforts of Sergen to help him out.

Italy took the initiative in the second half when Conte’s overhead kick gave them the lead and from then on it looked as if Zoff’s men would run away with victory. However, the Turks steadied the ship and were on level terms after 61 minutes when Toldo, who looked vulnerable with crosses on several occasions, failed to deal with Sergen’s cross allowing Okan to equalise.

Turkey were still celebrating when Dallas’s decision gave Inzaghi the chance to restore Italy’s lead and with the Turks on the ropes the Azzurri were a little unfortunate to find the net again.