Good Start, Bad Finish for Turkey against Spain

First 20 minutes of the match, the Turkish national team had more chances against Spain.

They outplayed the Spanish team in the first half but went down with a fluke goal in the second half.

Turkey just ran out of gas in the second half.

They could not do any set plays from backfield and midfield.

And the players, who ran their hearts out in the first half of the match, were just tired.

Fatih Terim and Turkey not only lost the match, they lost their second place to Bosnia after Bosnia won an away match against Belgium.

In the sixth minute, Turkey's team captain Nihat Kahveci fired a low shot just wide. After that Senturk brought a diving save out of Spain's goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Casillias was Spain's savior.

Just before half time, Spain's Fernando Torres tested Turkish keeper Volkan Demirel from the edge of the area.

In the closing minute of the first half, Arda Turan had a chance but he could not control the ball in the box, and Casillias rushed out and got the ball.

As I said, Terim's boys looked sluggish in the start of the second half.

The match's only goal came in the 61st minute. Xavi's free kick went to Sergio Ramos at the far post. The ball rebounded off Ramos' leg and bounced across goal to Pique, who forced home the rebound.

On this play, Tuncay Sanli's and keeper Demirel's timing was off..

Sanli made a huge mistake as far as going up to head the ball, and Demirel did not come out of his goal-line to get the ball.

"Spain deserved to win," Terim said after the match. "After the goal, they played better. I congratulate them. Wednesday's match will be different. Today we had three great chances. We did not take them, but it is clear that we can beat Spain."

Turkey hosts Spain in Istanbul on Wednesday, while second-place Bosnia will be at home against Belgium.

So, the second place that Terim was talking about earlier in the week...

Saying that Spain will be first and Turkey will finish in second place in Group Five might just be an empty promise!

If Terim's boys lose on Wednesday and Bosnia wins against Belgium, you can just kiss goodbye to second place too.

Spain is perfect with 15 points on top, while Bosnia sits in second with nine, and Turkey is one point behind in third. Belgium has seven points.