Turkish international newcomer Cihan Haspolatli scored in a 3-0 international friendly win over Georgia in Trabzon tonight.
Coach Senol Günes dropped striker Hakan Sükür, who is out of form and without a club side for the coming season, but Cihan and Nihat Kahveci impressed by taking their chances.
Striker Arif Erdem opened the scoring with a curling free-kick from 25 metres in the eighth minute. Georgia, however, found lots of room to run into the Turkish midfield and enjoyed the better first-half chances, going close on several occasions and provoking consternation from Günes.
Galatasaray SK midfield player Cihan was introduced after the break and collected his first goal for his country six minutes later with a towering header from a corner. Nihat wrapped up the scoring in the 61st minute with a right-foot drive as Turkey stepped up the pressure.
Turkey, who finished third in the FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, open their EURO 2004 qualifying campaign against Slovakia on 7 September in Istanbul. Their other opponents in the group are England, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Liechtenstein and Slovakia.
Georgia, who are drawn with Albania, the Republic of Ireland, Russia and Switzerland in Group 10, start against the Swiss on the same day.
Teams
Turkey: ?
Georgia: Lomaia, Kobiashvili, Shashiashvili (Kaladze, 46), Sajaia (Didava, 73), Gakhokidze (Burduli, 46), Tskitishvili (Shekiladze, 46), Nemsadze, Jamarauli, Demetradze (Amisulashvili, 80), Kinkladze (Jikia, 46), S. Arveladze
Attendance: 30,000
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