Gary Lineker scores a hat-trick as England thrash Turkey 8-0

Gary Lineker scores a hat-trick as England thrash Turkey 8-0, thereby inching the Three Lions a little closer to Euro 88...

England 8-0 Turkey
Euro 88, Qualifying Group 4
Wembley Stadium
14 October 1987

Turkey, humiliated 8-0 in their own country by England in a World Cup qualifier back in 1984, suffered the same unpleasant fate at Wembley in the European Championship.

England, utterly transformed from the team beaten in West Germany in their last match, ran riot to punish the Turks for their obvious tactical shortcomings. The plan to render sweeper Erhan's presence irrelevant by probing the space down the flanks worked spectacularly well.

The onslaught was started by John Barnes after only two minutes, Liverpool's new acquisition showing commendable composure to shoot home left-footed after Neil Webb's cross had curled away from Fatih in the Turkish goal.

Gary Lineker added a second in the 10th minute and then, three missed chances later, Peter Beardsley swerved away from two challenges to set up Barnes who made it 3-0 on the half-hour.

Lineker, who joined Barcelona in the summer, made it 4-0 before the break. His initial shot from Beardsley's instant pass was blocked on the line by a defender, but his follow-up attempt was more successful and had the Turks suffering the indignity of a 4-0 scoreline at half-time.

Bryan Robson was credited with the fifth goal, a deflection off Webb's shot, and Beardsley nodded in Hoddle's measured chip for the sixth, his own first at Wembley.

Lineker, put through by his captain, tucked in the seventh to complete his hat-trick - his fourth in an England shirt - before the promising Webb finished the spree a minute from the end with a volley for his first international goal.

Teams

England: Shilton Stevens, Sansom, Steven (Hoddle), Adams, Butcher, Robson (c), Webb, Beardsley (Regis), Lineker, Barnes

Turkey: Fatih, Riza, Semih, Ali Gultiken (Savas), Erhan, Ali Coban, Ugur, Muhammed, Kayhan, Erdal (c), Iskender

Referee: AR Thomas (Holland)

Attendance: 45,528

Player View - Gary Lineker

England's hat-trick hero Gary Lineker caught up with TheFA.com to give his view of the match: "Well I scored a hat-trick and we won 8-0 but we had a good run of results against Turkey - we won 8-0 over there just before I got into the side, then 5-0 at Wembley before the 8-0 in '87.

"In those days Turkey were very much a third rate footballing nation, even though they were very passionate about the sport. They were certainly not as competitive as they are now as since then they've transformed themselves into one of the leading football nations in the world.

"You wouldn't put them in the same category as San Marino or Liechtenstein, but you would still look on a match against Turkey as an opportunity to score some goals."

Lineker joined Barcelona in the summer of 1987 and, along with many other members of the squad, was at or near his peak at the time of the Turkey match.

"I would say I was at my peak between 1986 and 1990 and at the time [of the Turkey game], we were definately a very good side.

"We were very creative, as we had John Barnes, Chris Waddle and of course Peter Bearsley - he was so unselfish and supplied me with so many goals. Bryan Robson was strong in the middle and defensively we were solid with Terry Butcher."

So how does Lineker, England's second-highest goalscorer in history, see next Saturday's game going?

"We can do it. It is going to be very tough but that suits us - we are at our strongest against better sides. Turkey are a very good side and we'll have to press all over the pitch but we can do it."