ISTANBUL - Turkey has it all to play for when it meets host Kazakhstan in Almati Wednesday night in their World Cup qualifying match.
After last Saturday’s scoreless draw in Istanbul against Greece, Turkey was left in third place in Group 2 on 13 points, two behind the Greeks but a whopping seven adrift of Ukraine. With just four matches to go in the group stage, all that Turkey can realistically hope for is second place and a shot at the play offs to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
With Greece taking the field Thursday against the so far unbeaten Ukrainians a Turkish victory in Almati will vault the Turks into the crucial second spot.
On form, it should be an easy task for the visitors. Kazakhstan have lost all six of their qualifying matches and are last on the ladder.
That said, the Kazaks have lost both their home games by a single goal. Added to this Turkey has not exactly been a goal scoring machine in this World Cup qualifying campaign, having only found the net 13 times in eight games, with five of those coming in one game against Georgia.