Japan's World Cup dreams came to an end as the co-hosts took their bow on a wet and grey afternoon in the Miyagi Stadium today.

Turkey's AC Milan star Umit Davala struck the killer blow in the first half to earn the Turks a quarter final clash with African sensations Senegal.

Japan exceeded most people's expectations having topped their group which included Belgium and Russia, but Turkey proved too strong for Philippe Troussier's side.

The Frenchman, who has been in charge of the national side for four years, will now step down having led Japan to glory in the Asian Cup in 2000 and to their best ever World Cup showing.

Troussier's side gave their all after being caught cold on 12 minutes.

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.