Ergun Penbe tries to stop Hidetoshi Nakata (Allsport)

By Ian Parkes, PA Sport, Sendai

Japan's hopes of World Cup glory came to an end as the co-hosts bade a fond sayonara on an ignominiously wet, grey afternoon.

AC Milan star Umit Davala was the villain for the 45,000 Japanese supporters at the Miyagi Stadium, and the millions more watching on televisions in their homes and offices throughout the country.

This was the end of an era for Japanese football for after four successful years under Philippe Troussier, the Frenchman will now step down due to what he claims is a lack of motivation.

This was the pinnacle for Troussier, with his side exceeding all expectations in reaching the last 16 by winning a group which included the more-experienced Russia, Belgium, and for that matter Tunisia, when it came to parading on the World Cup stage.

In his own words, Troussier stated he did not want to be in charge come August for a clash with a team like the Philippines, not after the high of winning the Asian Cup in 2000, and now this showpiece event on home soil.

Should Roger Lemerre be sacked or resign from his position as France coach later this week, it is likely Troussier will be asked to take over the former world champions, four years on after he was initially offered the assistant's post to Lemerre.

It is one he refused as his desire was to be in sole charge, not a number two, but after his success in Africa with Burkina Faso, Nigeria and South Africa, and now with Japan, the French may turn to Troussier for the 2004 European Championship qualifiers.

He can have no complaints with his side for they gave their all after being caught cold in the 12th minute, just as they were overcoming their understandable nerves which led to a sluggish start.

Arsenal reject Junichi Inamoto's poor back pass had too much pace on it for keeper Seigo Narazaki to keep in play, and from Ergun Penbe's inswinging corner, Davala was given the freedom of the penalty area as he headed home his second goal of the World Cup.

For a moment a deathly hush engulfed the stadium before cries of 'Nippon, Nippon', which had been unrelenting since the first whistle, again echoed around the ground.

The rain-soaked Japanese fans did their best to raise their team to the heights they had scaled in drawing with Belgium, and then defeating both Russia and Tunisia.

But despite overwhelming possessional superiority, they were guilty of wasting it as goalkeeper Rustu Recber was rarely needed to make a noteworthy save.

He was beaten just before the interval when the dynamic Alessandro Santos, Japan's star player in the first half before surprisingly being replaced at the break, curled a 20-yard free-kick over the wall, only for it to crack against the angle of bar and post.

Japan continued to dominate throughout the second half, but for one powerful header from Akinori Nishizawa which was directed straight at Recber, they never troubled the Turks who can now look ahead to a quarter-final clash with African sensations Senegal.

Turkey coach Senol Gunes had claimed before the game his players had written their names in history with golden pens following their qualification for the second round.

The superlatives from Gunes after this victory, forcing Japan to sign off from the World Cup in disappointing fashion, are likely to be just as colourful as Turkey celebrated arguably their most important ever triumph.

Teams

Japan: Narazaki, Matsuda, Miyamoto, Koji Nakata, Ono, Alex (Suzuki 45), Myojin, Toda, Inamoto (Ichikawa 45), Hidetoshi Nakata, Nishizawa, Ichikawa (Morishima 86).

Subs Not Used: Kawaguchi, Akita, Morioka, Hattori, Nakayama, Yanagisawa, Fukunishi, Ogasawara, Sogahata.

Booked: Toda.

Turkey: Rustu, Korkmaz, Akyel, Alpay, Unsal, Tugay, Basturk (Mansiz 90), Davala (Nihat 74), Ergun, Sukur, Sas (Tayfur 85).

Subs Not Used: Abdullah, Erdem, Izzet, Okan, Omer, Ozat, Zafer.

Booked: Alpay, Ergun, Sukur.

Goals: Davala 12.

Att: 45,666

Ref: Pierluigi Collina (Italy).