| Home team | Score | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
Turkey
|
3 - 2 |
Czech Republic
|
By Ben Collins Last updated: 15th June 2008
Turkey snatch a quarter-final place: Czech Republic were on course for the quarter-finals until Turkey claimed two goals in the last three minutes of normal time to snatch a place in the last eight. This game was expected to go into the record books for a penalty shoot-out but it will go down in Euros history for very different reasons after a memorable finish in Geneva.
Full-time: The Czechs fail to test Tuncay and the full-time whistle goes to signal the end to a thrilling finale.
95 mins - Frustration: Tomas Ujfalusi is booked for a foul and even substitute Milan Baros picks up a yellow card for dissent from the Czech bench.
93 mins - Surprise keeper: With Turkey having used all three substitutions, Tuncay takes over the goalkeepr's jersey, although a penalty wasn't awarded as the ball was already out of play. Three minutes of stoppage time still to go.
92 mins - Red card: The Czcehs launch a long ball forward and Demirel punches the ball up into the air under pressure from Koller and Turkey manage to clear the danger after Vclek directed the loose ball goalwards. Demirel then pushes Koller to the ground for his dangerous jump at the Turkey keeper and is sent off after a theatrical fall by the Czech striker.
90 mins - Shell-shocked: The Czechs look stunned as two goals in three minutes from Nihat has turned the game on its head and put Turkey on the verge of the quarter-finals.
89 mins - GOAL!!! Amazingly Turkey snatch the lead with a sensational strike by Nihat. Hamit feigns to shoot but instead plays in the Villarreal striker, who bends the ball round Ceh and in off the underside of the bar.
88 mins - Shoot-out: The Czechs will now be ruing those misses by Koller and Polak as the game seems destined for a shoot-out.
87 mins - GOAL!!! Turkey drag themselves level after a stunning blunder by Cech. Hamit swings in a right-wing cross and Cech spills the ball without being under pressure, allowing Nihat to pounce on the loose ball and tap in from eight yards. The Turkish striker cannot believe his luck as Cech makes an uncharacteristic error.
85 mins - Another change: The Czechs aim to kill the clock with now Stanislav Vlcek coming on for Sionko.
83 mins - Great chance: Turkey win a corner on the left and Servet glances a header wide at the far post.
80 mins - Fresh legs: Karel Bruckner aims to stem the tide by bringing on Michal Kadlec for Plasil.
79 mins - Frustration: The Czechs' frustration shows as Galasek is booked and then Tuncay has a shot blocked.
77 mins - Game on in Geneva with Turkey dominating possession as they chase an equaliser, which would send the game into a penalty shoot-out.
75 mins - GOAL!!! Finally all the pressure talks its toll as Sabri finds Hamit Altintop deep on the right and his pull-back picks out Arda at the far post. Arda fires goalwards and his shot from just inside the box creeps inside the far post off Cech.
73 mins - Space: Turkey find Kazim-Richards in space on the right side of the Czech box but his touch lets him down. The former Bury striker then puts in a dangerous cross from the right as now the Czech defence looks all over the place.
72 mins - Counter-attack: The Czechs break forward after some more Turkish pressure and Emre Asik is booked for halting David Rozehnal's run illegally.
69 mins - Woodwork: The Czechs earn some respite as they push forward down the right and Polak almost seals their passage into the quarter-finals. The midfielder sidefoots against the inside of a post from eight yards with Demirel well beaten. Polak then chases the rebound but his header is stopped by Demirel on the line and he receives a kick to the head for his troubles. Play is stopped so he can receive treatment for a cut to his forehead.
67 mins - Long ball: Tuncay gets behind the Czech defence to latch onto a long ball but the Middlesbrough man is unable to get enough purchase on his header.
65 mins - Deflection: Turkey surge forward in a bid to get back into the game and Kazim-Richards' deflected strike from 20 yards tests Cech.
63 mins - Anger: The Turkish bench is fuming at the fourth official for not allowing the substitution. To be fair, there just wasn't a suitable stoppage in play to make the sub. Emre Asik is their third and final replacement.
62 mins - GOAL!!! The Turkish bench is desperately trying to make the substitution and get back to 11 men but the Czechs play a quick free-kick wide for Sionko. He hits the ball towards the far post where Plasil sneaks in behind Sabri to sidefoot past Demirel, despite the Turkish keeper again getting a strong hand to the shot.
61 mins - Great chance: The Turkey defence is in disarray as the Czechs play Koller clean through on the halfway line. The hulking forward just about manages to get a shot away before Servet comes across to make the challenge but Koller turns the ball wide from just inside the box.
60 mins - Injury: Gungor goes down and receives lenghty treatment before being stretchered off.
59 mins - Testing: Another Balta cross forces Cech into action and he manages to gather while falling backwards at the far post.
57 mins - Attacking change: Turkey win another corner and now Terim throws on English-born striker Colin Kazim-Richards for Topal.
54 mins - Commanding: Balta's swings in a left-wing cross and Cech takes charge by coming out to take the high ball.
52 mins - Pressure: The Czechs concede a corner on their left through David Jarolim, who replaced the injured Matejovsky towards the end of the first half. The free-kick bounces before making it into the danger zone and although Tuncay does well to direct his header goalwards, it's too close to Cech.
50 mins - Alert: David Rozehnal has to be alert to turn a left-wing cross away from Nihat at the far post and out for a corner.
48 mins - Acrobatic: Jankulovski seems to be caught in two minds as the AC Milan man neither leaves the cross or clears the danger. His header loops straight up and Nihat is just off target with an acrobatic volley.
46 mins - Positive start: There's much more intent from Turkey at the start of the second half, first winning a left-wing free-kick which Aurelio flicks on and Cech is out to take the high ball.
Second half: Turkey kick-off with coach Terim having made one change, with Sabri coming on for Semih.
Comeback: Eddie reckons the Czechs will make it two in the second half and Ricardo thinks their main threat will come from Plasil and Sionko, although Sam from Exeter is hoping Turkey get an equaliser so he can see the first group-stage penalty shoot-out in the Euros.
Half-time: The corner is cleared and the half-time whistle goes with Czech Republic holding a deserved lead. Turkey have struggled to get going and are yet to fashion a clear opening. What does coach Fatih Terim need to do during the interval? Let us know your thoughts for the second half by emailing Ben.Collins@bskyb.com
47 mins - Stoppage time: The Czechs create an opening for Polak in the right side of the Turley box but his effort is turned wide by Emre Gungor's lunging block.
Predictions: Ann in Hawaii backed the Czechs to win 1-0 before their deserved opener, while we now know Mohamed's prediction of a 2-0 Turkey win will not materialise.
44 mins - Free: The Czechs pick out Koller again and the big man sends a difficult volley over from the edge of the box.
41 mins - Another header: Jankulovski hits a free-kick into the Turkey box from deep and Koller again wins the header but he has his back to goal and can only turn it over.
38 mins - Over: Servet wins another header in the Czech box but this time he directs it over the bar.
36 mins - Response: Turkey win a corner on the right and Cech does well to punch clear from Arda Turan at the near post.
35 mins - Relief: Koller wheels away in delight after extending his record as his country's highest-ever goalscorer. The veteran looks to have got some frustration out of his system after being dropped following a poor performance in the opening game against Switzerland.
34 mins - GOAL!!! But the Czechs come straight back at Turkey down the right, with Grygera advancing forward before chipping the ball into the box and Koller climbs highest to head goalwards from eight yards. Demirel gets a hand to it but it's too high for the Turkey keeper and the ball goes in off the bar. A trademark finish from the 6ft 7in striker!
33 mins - Alert: Sionko is wide open right in front of goal from a left-wing cross but Demirel does well to charge out and snutt out the danger.
30 mins - Tame: Turkey put the ball back into the danger zone and Servet directs a header goalwards, although it's easy for Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech.
29 mins - Corner: Full-back Hakan Balta wins a corner deep on the Turkish left, which is headed clear by the Czechs.
Impressive: Sionko has certainly impressed Hans in Denmark, who believes the Copenhagen winger to break the deadlock and be Man of the Match. Any chance you're a Copenhagen fan, Hans?
25 mins - Good effort: The lively Sionko cuts in from the right and hits a diagonal left-footed strike towards goal and it rises just above the crossbar.
22 mins - Cleared: Servet turns away Sionko's low cross from within his own six-yard box with Koller lurking.
20 mins - Wide: Turkey have another effort through Topal from over 20 yards, although it ends up closer to the corner flag!
17 mins - Reply: The Czechs reply with Matejovsky trying his luck with a 25-yard volley but it's too close to goalkeeper Volkan Demirel.
16 mins - Reply: Turkey begin to get a foothold in the game and Middlesbrough striker Tuncay Sanli sends a 20-yard strike narrowly wide.
14 mins - Correction: Some confusion on the sidelines as it's confirmed that, in fact, Aurelio was booked and not Servet. The Brazilian-born midfielder was booked for complaining about that harsh free-kick decision against Servet.
12 mins - Suspension: Mehmet Aurelio managed to pick up a booking too for voicing his frustrations to the referee and the Turkey midfielder will miss their next game, should they qualify.
11 mins - Close: Jankulovski plays in the free-kick and Koller heads over from 10 yards. That was a difficult one for the big man to keep down.
10 mins - Another caution: This time Servet is booked for challenging Jan Koller in the air. Looked a harsh decision.
7 mins - First corner: Jaroslav Plasil plays a short corner on the left and receives the return ball only to hit the ball harmlessly over the Turkey goal.
6 mins - Booking: Mehmet Topal is shown the first yellow card of the game after a lunging challenge on Jan Polak.
5 mins - Blocked: Sionko exchanges passes with Zdenek Grygera on the right but his shot from just inside the Turkey box is blocked.
3 mins - Free-kick: Marek Jankulovski plays in a free-kick from deep on the Czech right and Libor Sionko is unable to keep the ball in at the far post.
1 min - Early effort: And the Czcehs have an effort at goal within 30 seconds, with Reading's Marek Matejovsky firing over from distance.
Kick-off: Czech Republic get things going five minutes late after Servet has to change his boots again. The whole stadium is then left waiting as he wraps a mass of tape around each ankle!
Shoot-out: A reminder that if it's a draw tonight there will be a penalty shoot-out to decide the second group qualifier for the first time in the competition's history as the two teams have identical records.
Delay: This evening promises to be tense enough with this being a winner-takes-all clash in Geneva and the players have been kept in the tunnel three minutes longer than expected as the referee has ordered Turkey defender Servet Cetin to change his boots due to a problem with his studs.
Striker switch: Czech coach Karel Bruckner has chosen against playing Milan Baros and Jan Koller together up front and opted instead for a more cautious 4-5-1 formation, with Koller replacing Baros in the only change following their 3-1 defeat by Group A winners Portugal.
Three changes for Turkey following their 2-1 win over Switzerland, with Emre Gungor replacing Emre Asık, Mehmet Topal preferred to Gokdeniz Karadeniz and Semih Senturk stepping in for the injured Tümer Metin (groin).
Czech Republic team: Petr Cech; Zdenek Grygera, Tomas Ujfalusi, David Rozehnal, Marek Jankulovski; Libor Sionko, Marek Matejovsky, Tomas Galasek, Jan Polak, Jaroslav Plasil; Jan Koller.
Turkey team: Volkan Demirel; Hamit Altintop, Servet Cetin, Emre Gungor, Hakan Balta; Mehmet Aurelio, Mehmet Topal, Arda Turan, Tuncay Sanli; Nihat Kahveci, Semih Senturk.
Get in touch: Got something to say on the game? Get in touch throughout the game with your opinions and predictions by emailing me at Ben.Collins@bskyb.com or by using the feedback button in the Score Centre.
Welcome to our live coverage of the Euro 2008 Group A game between Turkey and Czech Republic.
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| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portugal | 3 | 6 |
| 2 | Turkey | 3 | 6 |
| 3 | Czech Republic | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Switzerland | 3 | 3 |