Turkey look to reel in Austria
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Article summary
Having lost both of their Group A games last October, Turkey will look to get their UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying campaign back on course with a home win against ambitious Austria.
Article top media content
Article body
Having lost both of their Group A games back in October, Turkey will look to get their UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying campaign back on course with a home win against ambitious Austria.
Match background
• Turkey's record in their 12 games against Austria reads W5 D0 L7 (W3 D0 L3 at home).
• The balance of power has shifted significantly since the nations first met in a friendly in Istanbul on 30 May 1948, which Austria won 1-0.
• Austria won their first six meetings, home and away, without conceding a goal until Turkey ended that run on 16 November 1983, winning 3-1 at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium.
• Austria won 3-2 in the sides' next meeting – a FIFA World Cup qualifier on 2 November 1988 – but have lost all four of their subsequent matches against Turkey.
• Austria boasts a substantial Turkish community, with a number of Austrian internationals past and present being of Turkish origin: Muhammad Akagündüz, Cem Atan, Ekrem Dağ, Volkan Kahraman, Veli Kavlak, Ümit Korkmaz, Ramazan Özcan, Yasin Pehlivan and Yüksel Sariyar.
• Austrian-born Turkish players are also making their name in Turkey, with Viennese forward Turgay Bahadır now a Turkish international.
