Turkey look to rescue campaign

Turkey must rescue their World Cup campaign in today's Group C clash with a win over Costa Rica after their controversial opening defeat by four times champions Brazil.

For coach Senol Gunes, the game in the South Korean port of Inchon has always been central to Turkey's hopes of making the second round.

His plan from the start was to beat Costa Rica and China to go through with Brazil, who are second favourites for the Cup behind Italy after Argentina's defeat on Friday.

But his side take on the Costa Ricans, who beat China 2-0 in their first game, without defender Alpay Ozalan and left-sided midfielder Hakan Unsal, both suspended after being sent off in Monday's heated 2-1 defeat by the Brazilians.

Hakan Unsal was dismissed after kicking the ball at Rivaldo, who was later fined by world governing body FIFA for play-acting which incensed the Turks.

"Even if we had won the Brazil game, we had always looked at Costa Rica as the most critical match. Even if Costa Rica aren't Brazil, they are an experienced and good team," Gunes said.

"They are in a better position than us in terms of fixtures. They started against a weak side and gained morale and points."

Emre Asik looks set to step in to take Alpay's place in defence, while Ergun Penbe can cover for Hakan Unsal as a left-back who can also roam forward.

Brazil marked lone Turkish striker Hakan Sukur out of the Ulsan clash. Gunes seems likely to rely on the attacking midfield trio of Yildiray Basturk, Hasan Sas and Emre Belozoglu again to support Hakan Sukur in Inchon, the birthplace of Korean football.

"We are strong enough to beat Costa Rica and China," Hakan Sukur said.

Costa Rica defender Harold Wallace is likely to start in an unchanged defence after training with the rest of the team on Friday. He had cut short a session on Thursday with a leg injury.

But coach Alexander Guimaraes has been experimenting in training in midfield, where Wilmer Lopez could start with Costa Rica's all-time top goalscorer Rolando Fonseca going back to the bench.

This would effectively leave Costa Rica with a 5-3-2 formation rather than the 5-2-3 which they used against China.

Forward Paulo Wanchope, the side's highest profile player, is still receiving treatment for a knee injury that plagued him all last season. But he is likely to start alongside Ronald Gomez, who scored the first goal and set up the other against China.

Probable teams...

Costa Rica: Lonnis, Wallace, Marin, Wright, Martinez, Castro, Lopez, Solis, Centeno, Wanchope, Gomez.

Turkey: Rustu, Fatih, Umit Ozat, Emre Asik, Ergun, Umit Davala, Tugay, Basturk, Emre Belozoglu, Hasan Sas, Sukur.

Referee: Coffi Codjia (Benin).

On TV: Live on Ch12, RAI Due at 11 a.m.