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Huntelaar gives Dutch the edge on Turkey

Netherlands 1-0 Turkey
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar struck his ninth goal in five international games to ensure a gloomy return home for coach Guus Hiddink.

Ibrahim Afellay congratulates Netherland's match-winner Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Ibrahim Afellay congratulates Netherland's match-winner Klaas-Jan Huntelaar ©AFP

Coach Guus Hiddink's return to his home country with Turkey ended unhappily as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's winner completed an inspiring year for Bert van Marwijk's Netherlands.

Huntelaar's neat finish on 52 minutes was his ninth goal in five international games, his 25th in total. It ensured that the Oranje ended their commitments for the year with 14 victories in 16 fixtures in 2010, with only one of those games ending in defeat, the 1-0 FIFA World Cup final loss against Spain.

With Hedwiges Maduro replacing the injured Mark van Bommel as holding midfielder, Hiddink tasked his men with pressuring the Dutch. Turkey duly soon fashioned a decent chance as Nuri Şahin sent Burak Yılmaz through, but Maarten Stekelenburg managed to fingertip the ball to safety.

At the other end, Volkan Demirel used his fists to stop Wesley Sneijder's drive after his initial free-kick attempt had crashed into the wall.

Seven minutes after the break, Huntelaar found the winner, dinking over Volkan following Maduro's run into the box. Turkey did not surrender, though, and Stekelenburg was called upon to save a header and a shot from Serdar Kesimal before Colin Kazım Richards crashed an effort into the side netting.

FC Twente defender Peter Wisgerhof and Royston Drenthe made their Oranje debuts, while Arsenal FC's Robin van Persie made his first appearance since late August after recovering from injury.