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Advocaat begins Belgium reign with victory
Saturday 10 October 2009
Match report by Berend Scholten from Stade Roi Baudouin
Dick Advocaat made a winning start as Belgium coach as two Emile
Mpenza goals sent Turkey to defeat on the night their 2010 FIFA World
Cup hopes ended.
Turkey out
Turkey’s elimination was confirmed before kick-off as
Bosnia-Herzegovina clinched second place in Group 5 with a 2-0 victory
in Estonia. And they lost by that scoreline in Belgium’s first
competitive win since beating Armenia by the same scoreline here
almost exactly a year ago.
Belgium ahead
Advocaat, whose appointment was brought forward three months so he
could oversee Belgium’s last qualifiers, gave Logan Bailly his senior
debut in goal and appointed defender Thomas Vermaelen the new
captain. Bailly was quickly tested by a shot from Ceyhun Eri?Å?, but
on eight minutes Belgium were ahead, Mpenza sent through by Roland
Lamah and confidently striking past Volkan Demirel. Demirel did punch
away a Kevin Mirallas effort and the Turkey goalkeeper was also equal
to another run from Mpzena. The visitors threatened too, Bailly
stopping Nihat Kahveci’s header.
Victory secure
The tempo dropped in the second half and although Demirel saved with
his feet from Daniel Van Buyten, he was beaten again by Mpenza with
six minutes left. Van Buyen played the ball from deep to Eden Hazard,
who touched on to send Mpenza clear to double the lead. Having ended a
run of five straight qualifying defeats, fourth-placed Belgium go to
Estonia on Wednesday for their final pool game while Turkey, in third,
play Armenia.
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