Northern Ireland suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Turkey in the Veterans Stadium on Wednesday night.
Comfortable win for Turks in Veterans Stadium
Northern Ireland suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Turkey in the Veterans Memorial Stadium, USA, on Wednesday night.
Boss Nigel Worthington fielded an inexperienced side, with five of Northern Ireland's starting XI making their international debuts.
The sides were deadlocked at half-time but Turkey were ahead shortly after the break through substitute Sercan Yildirim.
Fellow substitute Semih Senturk of Fenerbahce doubled his country's advantage on 72 minutes, to which Northern Ireland had no reply.
Worthington and his squad now undergo a 5,000-mile journey to Chillan to take on World Cup finalists Chile on Sunday.
Playing in early afternoon heat of 93 degrees Celsius in Connecticut, the Irish failed to test Turkey goalkeeper Onur Kivrak in the opening period.
New Turkey manager Guus Hiddink, who had seen his side beat the Czech Republic 2-1 last Saturday in New Jersey, changed his personnel at half-time and the switches produced a goal three minutes after the break as Yildirim slid the ball beyond Linfield goalkeeper Alan Blayney.
Debuts
Blayney had been one of four Irish League players handed a first cap, along with club-mates Robert Garrett and Jamie Mulgrew and Portadown's Kevin Braniff.
The fifth new cap went to teenage winger Johnny Gorman of Wolves, aged 17 years 212 days, who had been given permission by Repton School to delay his A-level Physical Education exam, scheduled for Friday, to January.
Northern Ireland spent long periods without the ball and their first attempt on goal came in the 54th minute when full-back Andrew Little hooked a shot onto the roof of the Turkey net.
Turkey's dominance continued, however, with Senturk, finding the net in 72nd minute, slotting home from just inside the area as Worthington's defence was unable to clear its lines.
Worthington introduced more new blood with Josh Magennis, Michael Bryan, James Lawrie, Rory McArdle and Colin Coates all sent on in the last 20 minutes and the new-look side stood firm in the face of a series of further Turkish attacks.
