Turkey included five members of Galatasaray's UEFA Cup winning side in their starting eleven, while Italy began the match with Filippo Inzaghi and Francesco Totti up front, in the absence of injured striker Alessandro del Peiro.

In stark contrast to recent displays which included a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Norway, the Italians opened the match in determined mood, forcing a succession of corners in the opening minutes.

The first clear-cut chance of the game came on five minutes when Stefano Fiore found Antonio Conte just inside the penalty area.

His shot brushed the outside of the post, but would not have counted anyway as he was adjudged marginally offside.

With Turkish keeper Rustu Recber looking less than comfortable dealing with crosses, the Italians continued to press forward.

However it was not all Italy and Sergen Yalchin reminded them that there were two sides in this match when he fired an angled-drive just wide from the edge of the box.

Fiore was seeing more of the ball as the game went on and it was his pin-point cross on 17 minutes which picked out Inzaghi in the six-yard area, but the Juventus striker sent his header wide of the far post with the goal at his mercy.

Hakan Sukur, whose goals helped sink Leeds United in the UEFA Cup, showed plenty of movement up front for Turkey but was not rewarded with the service in the final third.

However, the Turks were beginning to settle into a rhythm and enjoyed the lion's share of possession in midfield as the tempo dropped following a frantic opening 20 minutes.

Italy continued to look for Inzaghi down the channels, but he was well marshalled by Alpay Ozalan.

Just before the interval, Recber could count himself lucky not to be punished when yet again he came off his line for a corner but got nowhere near the ball as it flew across the goalline.