Okan makes up for penalty heartache against Colombia

Turkey striker Okan Yilmaz, who missed a crucial penalty in Thursday's semi-final loss to France, made amends here with a late goal to earn his country third place in the Confederations Cup.

Okan's superb 87th minute strike on top of Tuncay Sanli's third minute effort gave Turkey a 2-1 win over Colombia, the South Americans' second half score coming from Giovanni Hernandez.

Turkey got off to an electric start with Tuncay's storming left footer which had Colombia keeper Oscar Cordoba grappling for thin air.

This was the Fenerbahce striker's third goal since his international debut against the United States nine days ago and it evoked memories of Hakan Sukur's first minute score in their 3-2 win over South Korea in the play-off for third place at last summer's World Cup.

Galatasaray midfielder Volkan Arslan conjured up a nifty lob which sailed over the Colombian defence in the 20th minute but this time Cordoba was too quick for Tuncay.

Hernandez, who got the winner against Japan, tested Omer Catkic on the half hour but the Turkish captain was well up to the challenge.

The Copa America champions had plenty of possession in the first half but nothing to show for it, their best spell coming right at the end when midfielder Jairo Patini produced a number of chances, all blocked by Catkic.

Colombia, who had suffered a year long goal drought before arriving in France, looked set for a certain score when a pass from the right beat two defenders only for Victor Aristizabal's shot to hit the post.

Substitute Eudalio Arriaga then produced some fireworks down the left for Colombia, a 60th minute pass skittling across Turkey's goalmouth but it was to be Hernandez who came up with the fully deserved equaliser.

After some deft one-twos Arriaga flicked the ball on to Hernandez who knocked it left-footed past Catkic in the 63rd minute.

Then as both sides attempted to break the stalemate up popped Tuncay who fed Okan to curve the ball delicately past Cordoba for the decider.

The players surprisingly were not wearing black armbands as a mark of respect to dead Cameroonian international Marc-Viven Foe as FIFA boss Sepp Blatter had predicted but a minutes' silence was observed scrupulously by both sets of fans before the game.