Sas the key to Turkish delight
England had the SAS of Shearer and Sheringham at Euro 96, but Turkey have their own at this World Cup in the form of striker Hasan Sas.
The 25-year-old may not have been well known outside Turkey at the start of the tournament, but the shaven-headed forward is certainly making a name for himself in the Far East with his determined front running.
He has scored twice in their march to the semi-finals and was the creator of four of his side’s five goals in Group C.
One of five Galatasaray players in coach Senol Gunes’s squad, he has overcome the major setback of a six-month suspension in 1998 for the use of a banned substance to prove his doubters wrong.
His strike against Brazil was Turkey’s first World Cup goal since 1954 and Sas’s first international goal in 15 appearances.
Born in Karatas in southern Turkey, Sas caught the eye of Galatasaray and completed a switch to Istanbul from Ankaragücü in July 1998.
Since then, his pace, balance and eye for goal have seen him become a firm fans’ favourite at the Ali Sami Yen stadium and he is now transferring his best form on to the international stage.
Following striker Hasan Sükür’s failure to find his goalscoring touch in the competition, much responsibility has fallen on Sas’s shoulders.
But rather than suffering from a bout of stage fright, he has blossomed in Korea and become one of the stars of Turkey’s unlikely run.
