Turkey

GERMANY SCRAPE PAST TURKEY TO REACH FINAL

Germany 3 - 2 Turkey
Euro2008 Semi Final 1

A last-gasp Philipp Lahm strike sent Germany undeservedly through to Euro2008. Having been hailed before the match as the best German side since 1990, they promptly set about proving that they were the worst since 1958 by failing to defend properly and being unable to control or pass the ball with any degree of accuracy in the opening spell of the match.

Despite being patched up, Turkey pushed their opponents to the limit and could have been ahead before the opening quarter of the game had elapsed; Colin Kazim-Richards thundered a shot against Jens Lehmann’s crossbar. Minutes later that miss was irrelevant. Kazim-Richards effort looped over Lehmann’s head and span onto the crossbar with the German ‘keeper helpless and watching, Ugur was first to react and shot straight at the former Arsenal custodian. As Lehmann fumbled, the ball passed through his legs, tantalisingly evading his grasp as he desperately tried to retrieve the situation.

The lead was no more than Turkey deserved as they had outpassed and outclassed their opponents. It was the catalyst for a more open game and within four minutes, Germany were level. Podolski stretched the Turkish defence with a run down the left and centered for Schweinsteiger to add the deftest of touches to equalise.

The match developed into an end-to-end game with the Turks constantly exposing the soft centre of the German defence. Neither Mertesacker or Metzelder was comfortable in possession and their distribution was poor. It remained level until exploding back into life in the final fifteen minutes. Rustu was slow off his line to react to a cross, allowing Klose the chance to head the ball home with eleven minutes remaining. It was time for the Germans to revert to type and kill off the game.

Except no-one had told the Turks this. Amid a flurry of activity on the bench, Sabri made mincemeat of Lahm and reached the byeline where his low cross was met at the near post by Semih, who guided the ball once more through Lehmann’s legs for the equaliser. With extra time looming, Germany mustered their best attacking move of the game as Lahm played a one-two with Hitzelsperger and found himself free in the Turkish area, burying the chance past Rustu for the glory.

TURKISH DELIGHT AS CROATIA PAY THE ULTIMATE PENALTY

EURO2008 QUARTER FINAL 2
CROATIA 1 - 1 TURKEY
(TURKEY WIN 3 - 1 ON PENALTIES)

Turkey stole into a semi-final meeting with Germany, a dramatic penalty shootout consigning Slaven Bilic’s talented side to the exit door of Euro2008. Despite being the better side for much of this encounter, the Croats fell when the pressure was at its greatest whilst Turkey kept their nerve.

Recalling Rustu to goal due to suspension might have seemed a good idea but the first half showed that it was otherwise. In the eighteenth minute, he was relieved to Olic rattle the crossbar from six yards following good work by Modric, a chance that seemed easier to score than miss. Olic again left Slaven Bilic rueing his evening’s work when five minutes into the second half he headed at Rustu rather than the net. However, the Turkish keeper had shaken his ring-rustiness when, with five minutes remaining of normal time, he turned a Srna freekick away before blocking another Olic effort.

However, Rustu became the villain with time running out and penalties looming; Modric rounded the headstrong charge out of his area and Klasnic converted the cross to give the Croats what seemed to be a late victory. That proved illusory for with the last kick of the game, Semih struck a great volley to score and send the game to penalties.

When Modric missed the first kick, pressure mounted as Arda, Semih and Hamit scored for the Turks, a feat matched only by Srna with Rakitic and Petric also missing.

TURKISH DELIGHT AT CZECH-OUT

EURO 2008 MATCHDAY NINE
GROUP A
TURKEY 3 - 2 CZECH REPUBLIC

Petr Cech’s error helped Turkey rise from the Euro 2008 ashes to progress at the expense of the Czech Republic, perennial tournament dark horses. The seemingly straightforward task of defending a two goal lead for the final twenty minutes proved beyond the Czech’s, breaking their countrymen’s hearts and setting the Turks on course for a quarter-final showdown with Germany or Austria.

Jan Koller put the Czech’s ahead with a powerful header from Grygera’s cross on thirty-three minutes, Demirel should have done better to keep it out of the net; his attempt to scoop the ball over the bar merely served to divert it into the net via the woodwork. When Jan Plasil slid into meet Sionko’s cross on sixty-two minutes, it seemed that the formbook would be held and the Czech’s progression was assured.

It was however the cue for Nihat to take centre stage in the match. With fifteen minutes to go, Arda Turan shot the Turks back into the game from just inside the Czech area. It provided the impetus that was needed to fight for their survival, a cause aided from the unlikeliest of sources.

With three minutes of normal time remaining, Petr Cech inexplicably dropped a cross at the feet of Nihat who could not refuse the generous offer to restore parity. Even so, the Villarreal forward could not have dreamed of what was to follow. With a minute to go, Nihat lashed the ball into the Czech net to spark wild celebrations that the last minute dismissal of ‘keeper Demirel could not dampen.

EURO 2008 MATCHDAY FIVE: [GROUP A] SWITZERLAND 1 - 2 TURKEY

Switzerland became the first of the co-hosts to crash out of Euro 2008 as Turkey scored a late goal to keep their faint hopes alive for reaching the Quarter-Finals. The victory has set up a ‘winner takes all’ clash with the Czech Republic this weekend for the runners-up berth in the Group and a probable clash with favourites Germany.

The build-up to the match had been full of reminiscing about the ‘Battle of Istanbul’ during the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup finals and was reward for a ‘devil-may-care’ attitude shown by the Turks in the second half.

The Swiss had opened the scoring in the first half through Hakin Yakin, their first goal in the final stages of the European Championships. In rain-soaked Basle, both sides knew only victory would be enough to give themselves a fighting chance of staying in the competition. Demirel in the Turkish goal was the busier custodian in the first half, saving well from Yakin and Barnetta before Philippe Senderos sent a long, diagonal pass to set Derdiyok on a charge into the penalty area. As the ‘keeper committed himself, the Swiss sqaured to Yakin, to score from six yards; a sweet moment for a player born in Turkey.

Behrami spured a glorious chance for a second killer goal, heading wide from Yakin’s cross and it was to prove costly as the Swiss crumbled under Turkish pressure in the second half. Just before the hour mark, Nihat crossed from the left and Senturk arrived late to head in at the far post. Parity restored and the pendulum had swung decisively in the Turks favour as the hosts could not muster much of a response.

Despite this, Yakin almost won the match in the dying minutes but Demirel’s double save kept the Turks alive. With the clock almost run down, Turkey broke away and Turan found the back of the net via a Swiss defender, his shot looping over Benaglio in the Swiss goal.