Costa Rica 1-1 Turkey
Turkey's World Cup qualification hopes are hanging by a thread after a late Costa Rica equaliser denied them victory in Incheon.
Emre Belozoglu's neat 55th-minute strike looked to have sealed a crucial win for Senol Gunes' team.
But the Turkish defence was never comfortable against a lively Costa Rica side, and it was no great surprise when substitute Winston Parks took advantage of some terrible defending to fire his side level.
Costa Rica know a point in their final game will probably take them through. Unfortunately for them, they still have to play Brazil. Turkey have to beat China to stand a chance.
Turkey, deprived of the suspended Alpay Ozalan and Hakan Unsal, brought in Emre Asik and Umit Davala, and also replaced Bulent Korkmaz with Ergun Penbe.
Manchester City's Paulo Wanchope had the first chance for Costa Rica, volleying just over on eight minutes.
For Turkey, Umit Ozan's free-kick flew past Erick Lonnis' left-hand post, and Lonnis had to be athletic to take a dangerous cross from Ergun off the head of Hakan Sukur.
32 mins: Walter Centano blazes over for Costa Rica
47 mins:Hakan Sukur fires off target when well placed.
55 mins: Emre Belozoglu finally breaks the deadlock for Turkey
86 mins: Winston Parks takes advantage of some poor Turkish defending to fire Costa Rica level.
During a tense opening, Emre Asik was booked for an obstruction on Wanchope, and Gilberto Martinez joined him after a wild tackle on Hasan Sas.
Hasan Sas was lively early on, and on 24 minutes it took a fine blocking tackle from Luis Martin to deny him a clear shot on goal.
But Costa Rica should have taken the lead on 32 minutes.
The Turks' defence was split wide open and Walter Centano shot over the top with only Rustu Recber to beat.
The half sauntered towards its conclusion with neither side able to take control of the game and aside from deserved yellow cards for Costa Rica's Carlos Castro and Turkey's Tugay, there was little goalmouth action.
But the Turks increased the tempo at the start of the second period.
Hakan Sukur, ineffective during the first half, missed two good chances in the opening minutes, first heading wide then blazing wildly over.
But Turkey's defence was exposed on 50 minutes as Ronald Gomez's sidestep fashioned a decent chance, only for him shoot wide.
Yet the Turks' attacking approach paid dividends on 55 minutes as Emre Belozoglu gave them the lead.
There was a touch of fortune as Gilberto Martinez blocked Emre's initial shot and the ball rebounded to him - but his follow-up control and shot was clinical.
For Costa Rica, Castro brilliantly danced his way past two Turkish defenders only for Wilmer Lopez to ruin a good move by blasting the ball way over the bar.
Lopez nearly made amends on 64 minutes as he latched on to Wanchope's pass, but Rustu did well to block his shot from a tight angle.
The Turks sat back after the goal, and endured some uncomfortable moments as Costa Rica enjoyed plenty of possession in and around the penalty area.
And it was not entirely surprising when substitute Winston Parks took advantage of some shambolic Turkish defending to rifle the ball home from six yards.
Emre Belozoglu was subsequently booked for pushing one of the Costa Rican coaching staff as he over-zealously tried to get the ball back for a Turkish throw-in - an action which prompted an ugly fracas.
Parks had a chance to seal the game on 90 minutes as he went round Rustu - then blitzed the ball into the crowd.
Costa Rica: Lonnis, Marin, Wright, Martinez, Castro, Solis,
Lopez (Parks 77), Wallace (Bryce 77), Centeno (Medford 66),
Subs Not Used: Chinchilla, Cordero, Drummond, Fonseca, Mesen,
Morgan, Rodriguez, Sunsing, Vallejos.
Booked: Martinez, Castro.
Goals: Parks 86.
Turkey: Rustu, Asik, Akyel, Ergun, Ozat, Davala,
Tugay (Erdem 88), Basturk (Nihat 79), Emre, Sas,
Sukur (Mansiz 74).
Subs Not Used: Abdullah, Alpay, Izzet, Korkmaz, Okan, Omer,
Tayfur, Unsal, Zafer.
Booked: Asik, Tugay, Emre.
Goals: Emre 56.
Ref: C Codjia (Benin).
| MATCH STATS|
| || Costa Rica || Turkey|
|Corners (1st half) || 0 || 2|
|Corners (2nd half) || 3 || 3|
|Fouls committed || 11 || 7|
|Caught offside || 6 || 3|
|Shots on target || 6 || 5|
|Shots off target || 7 || 5|
|Hit woodwork (back into play) || 0 || 0|
|Yellow cards || 2 || 3|
|Red cards || 0 || 0|
|STOPPAGE TIME || |
|First half - 2 mins || Second half - 3 mins |