Saudi Arabia's preparations for the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals received yet another blow after the team lost their second warm-up match to Turkey 1-0 on Wednesday. The defeat comes only four days after the Saudis fell 2-0 to the Czech Republic in the first pre-World Cup friendly. Galatasaray striker Necati Ates scored the only goal of the game for Turkey in the 59th minute to hand the Saudis their third defeat in the last four friendly games. The Turks to control of the game and squandered two chances to extend the lead as Saudi coach Paqueta's men failed to equalize. Elsewhere, goals from Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord gave France an easy 2-0 win over Denmark in the game played in Lens. Henry capitalized on Louis Saha's flick to slot the ball home for France's first in the 13th minute before a Sylvain Wiltord's penalty wrapped up the game for Les Bleus in the 76th minute. The closest that Denmark came to threatening the French goal was a wide volley from John Dahl Tomasson.
In Geneva, Francesco Totti was back for a jaded-looking Italian team who could only manage a 1-1 draw against a tough Swiss side. Lille midfielder Daniel Gycax fired home past Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon in the 31st minute canceling out Alberto Gilardino's early goal from a Fabio Grosso perfect low cross. Earlier on Wednesday, Iran came back from a two-goal deficit to crush Bosnia 5-2 in their international friendly in Tehran. Iran's sloppy defense allowed Zvjezdan Misimovic and Sergej Barbarez to score early for Bosina. Mehrzad Madanchi brought Iran back to the game with a goal in the 25th minute, and in the 44th minute Rahman Rezaei connected with Ali Daei's pass to draw for the home side. Vahid Hashemian netted Iran's third just before half-time and in the second half Gholamerza Enayati and Rasoul Khatibi completed the rout for the hosts. In their final warm up game before the World Cup, Paraguay registered a disappointing 1-0 win over Georgia, courtesy of Nelson Valdez's strike.
