After three thrilling comeback victories in a row during the summer’s Euro 2008 championships in Austria and Switzerland, before losing narrowly to Germany in the semifinal, Turkey rightfully earned the nickname “comeback king.”

This evening Euro 2008 co-host Austria welcomes semifinalist Turkey to Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium for an international friendly that will serve as a warm-up match for both teams in their upcoming 2010 World Cup qualifiers. Turkey is in Group Five along with Spain, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Armenia and Estonia while Austria is doing business in Group Seven with France, Romania, Serbia, Lithuania and the Faeroe Islands.

Coach Fatih Terim and his side had to cope with injuries throughout their glorious Euro 2008 campaign in the summer. Today the Turks are hit hard by injuries again. Young Galatasaray winger Arda Turan, who spent Sunday night in a hospital, has been removed from Terim’s squad after collapsing during his team’s domestic Turkcell Super League home game with tiny neighbor İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor.

Turan experienced a fast heartbeat in the second half of the match and, moments after asking for substitution, fell on the turf. The 21-year-old remained in hospital for overnight observation and was discharged on Monday. Galatasaray club doctor İlker Yücesir was quick to point out that the sudden quickening of the player's heartbeat was caused by stress and tiredness -- and that there was certainly no need for alarm or panic. Nonetheless, Turan -- one of Turkey’s best and a player who was selected eighth among the 100 Best Young Football Players by Spanish magazine Don Balon in July this year -- will be conspicuously missing today.

Another notable absentee today will be Fener star striker Semih Şentürk, who was injured in the 15th minute of the domestic league match against Ankaraspor on Saturday. Şentürk has been replaced by his on-form teammate Selçuk Şahin. Terim, very experienced in dealing with injury situations and forming makeshift squads, said, “We don't have to risk our players.”

Though today’s game is only a friendly, it is approved by the European soccer governing body UEFA, meaning the results go into the record books. This means Terim and his boys are taking this game very seriously as national pride and prestige are at stake.

Austrian camp

The Austrians lost two more players this week for today's friendly after striker Marc Janko and defender Emanuel Pogatetz both pulled out with injuries on Monday. Salzburg's Janko, who scored 25 goals in 18 domestic league matches this season, has a thigh injury, while Middlesbrough's Pogatetz has torn ligaments in his knee.

Earlier, Juventus goalkeeper Alexander Manninger (back injury) and Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Umit Korkmaz (broken right foot) also withdrew from the squad. Austria coach Karel Brückner called up Rapid Vienna forward Erwin Hoffer as a replacement for Janko but did not add an extra defender for Pogatetz.

However, Austria Vienna forward Rubin Okotie and goalkeeper Michael Gspurning from Greece's Xanthi got their first call-ups while defender Andreas Ibertsberger and midfielders Korkmaz and Christoph Leitgeb returned from injuries.

Other friendlies involving European teams today
Spain vs. Chile in Villarreal; Germany vs. England, Berlin; Netherlands vs. Sweden, Amsterdam; France vs. Uruguay, Saint-Denis; Brazil vs. Portugal, Brasilia; Greece vs. Italy, Piraeus; Denmark vs. Wales, Brondby; Romania vs. Georgia, Bucharest; Greek Cyprus vs. Belarus, Lefkoşa (Nicosia); Serbia vs. Bulgaria, Belgrade; Ireland vs. Poland, Dublin; Northern Ireland vs. Hungary, Belfast; Montenegro vs. Macedonia, Podgorica; Scotland vs. Argentina, Glasgow; Slovakia vs. Liechtenstein, Zilina; Israel vs. Ivory Coast, Tel Aviv; Azerbaijan vs. Albania, Baku; Malta vs. Iceland, Corradino; Ukraine vs. Norway, Dnepropetrovsk; Luxembourg vs. Belgium, Luxembourg; Switzerland vs. Finland, St. Gallen; Slovenia vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Maribor; Moldova vs. Lithuania, Tallinn.

Todays Zaman