SOCCER: TURKEY TO FACE UKRAINE IN FRIENDLY GAME
ISTANBUL - Turkish national football team flied to Kiev for a friendly against Ukraine on Wednesday ahead of critical 2010 World Cup qualifiers next month.
This is the fifth encounter of Turkey and Ukraine. Turkey won two games and lost one against Ukraine so far.
The match will kick off at 9:00 p.m. in Kiev's Viktor Bannikov Stadium.
Turkey will play a home game against Estonia and an away qualifier against Bosnia-Herzegovina next month to keep their hope alive for 2010 World Cup.
Turkey are vying in Group 5 in which Spain secured their ticket for the tournament to be held in South Africa next year. Bosnia rank the second while Turkey are in the third place after playing six games in the group. Estonia have almost no chance for the cup.
Turkey needs victory over Bosnia and also in other remaining matches against Estonia, Belgium and Armenia in order to have a chance to go to South Africa.
The match between Turkey and Estonia will be played on September 5 in Turkish central city of Kayseri. Turkey will take the field in Bosnia-Herzegovina on September 9. Turkey's remaining games against Belgium and Armenia will be played in October.
From the 53 UEFA linked countries involved in 2010 World Cup qualifying, 13 will go on to compete at the 32-nation tournament.
The nine group winners will qualify directly and the best eight runners-up will play home and away play-off matches for the remaining four places. Turkey will try to be placed among one of those four teams.
