England 2-1 Turkey: Vardy Party Continues as Preparations Start With Win

Published on: 21 May 2016

Jamie Vardy scored the winner as England beat Turkey in a tight match at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday night.
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Manager Roy Hodgson opted for a bold starting line-up, with Dele Alli and Raheem Sterling both playing along with strikers Vardy and Harry Kane. The Turkey side was also close to full strength, the only notable absentee being captain Arda Turan, who was on Copa del Rey duty with Barcelona.


"?Vardy could have scored inside 60 seconds as England came flying out of the blocks, but he couldn't latch onto Kane's cross. The ball was in the back of Turkey's net almost immediately after though, as neat build-up play from Sterling led to Alli slipping the ball through to his Tottenham Hotspur teammate Kane, who confidently slotted the ball past Turkish keeper Volkan Babacan for his fifth goal in England colours. 


Admittedly, there was more than a hint of fortune as replays showed the Premier League's top goalscorer was clearly offside, but there was precious little in the way of protests from the Turks.


"?However, the lead wouldn't last, and ten minutes after Kane's opener the ball broke to former Arsenal youngster Oguzhan Ozyakup who played a clever ball inside the otherwise impressive Danny Rose to find Volkan Sen. Joe Hart came flying out of his goal, but Sen was always favourite to get there first. Clipping the ball square over the Man City keeper, Sen picked out the excellent Hakan Calhanoglu of Bayer Leverkusen, who steered into the empty net.

RT OptaCan: 1 - Hakan Calhanoglu has scored Turkey's first ever goal v England (11 games, 32 conceded). History. (opta)


"?Having been momentarily stunned by Turkey's first ever goal against them, England had the better of the first half without really managing to create anything too concrete.


"?Sterling and Alli were involved in everything good for England, but only really resulted in long range efforts from Kane, Vardy, and Jack Wilshere who looked comfortable on his first international start in over a year.


"?Perhaps unusually for a game of this standing, both sides were unchanged at the break. England picked up where they left off, having a decent amount of possession without creating anything too clear cut.


"?Turkey certainly had their chances in the second half, Besiktas forward Cenk Tosun dragging a shot inches wide of Hart's post.


"?England were gifted the chance to take the lead in the 70th minute, when Mehmet Topal was beaten to the ball close to the halfway line by Vardy, who was too quick for the Turkey skipper and was eventually brought down in the box. 


The incident certainly had shades of the red card the Leicester man was given against West Ham for a perceived dive, but this time a penalty was given and Topal could have no complaints.


"?Up stepped Harry Kane, on dead ball duty throughout the match, but although well hit his effort cracked against Babacan's right hand post. England will be hoping for better luck from 12 yards in any upcoming shootouts this summer.


"?Turkey's own luck, though, ran out ten minutes late. From a corner. Gary Cahill's header was initially well saved by Babacan, but he could only parry out as far as Vardy who gobbled up the rebound to score his third goal in as many games for England. Replays seemed to show that having made the initial save, the goalkeeper blocked substitute Ismael Koybasi leaving Vardy to smash the ball in, albeit off the head of the hapless Babacan.


"?A tense finish followed, and there was still time for Hart to come to England's rescue, saving smartly from an Olcay Sahan volley, but by and large England just about passed the test against a tenacious Turkey side.


Harry Kane is the 1st England player to miss a penalty (excl. shootouts) since Frank Lampard missed against Japan in May 2010. Wide. (Opta)

England XI
"?Hart; Walker, Cahill, Stones, Rose; Dier, Wilshere (Henderson), Alli; Sterling (Drinkwater), Kane, Vardy

Subs not used - Bertrand, Forster, Barkley, Townsend, Delph, Heaton


Turkey XI

Babacan; Gonul, Balta, Topal, Erkin (Koybasi); Inan, Tufan (Erdinc); Ozyakup (Tekdemir), Sen (Oztekin), Calhanoglu (Sahan); Tosun

Subs not used - Ozbayrakli, Calik, Potuk, Tore, Recep Kivrak, Malli, Tekin, Soyuncu, Mor

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