Peterborough United loanee Sam Curtis scores for Ireland Under 21s, a ninth Cyprus cap for Hector Kyprianou

Curtis struck the only goal of the game with six minutes to go in Istanbul as Ireland kept alive their hopes of reaching the finals.

Curtis expertly slotted the ball home after racing in behind the home defence Ireland remain second in Group A, just two points behind Italy ahead of their game against Latvia in Dublin on Tuesday.

It’s a huge win for us," Curtis told the Iris media. "In the latter stages of the game it could have gone either way. It's hard here as Turkey are very good, but we just had that fighting spirit in us and we always knew we would get a chance.”

Curtis is only, but has now won 11 Under caps for his country. Curtis is on loan at Posh from Championship side Sheffield United.

Posh captain and star midfielder Hector Kyprianou won his ninth senior Cyprus caps in a 1-0 in a Nations League game in Lithuania on Friday. Kyprianou started, but was cautioned in the first-half and taken off at the break with Posh hopeful it was a tactical move. Cyprus are at home in another Nations League game to Kosovo on Monday (September 9).

Teenage Posh centre-back George Nevett started a under 19 2-2 friendly draw between Wales and Turkmenistan in Spain on Saturday. Wales are in friendly action again against Azerbaijan on Monday, also in Spain.