Germany knock the stuffing out of Turkey at Euro 2008
June 26, 2008
Turkey found themselves on the wrong end of the scoreline in yet another exciting Euro 2008 match. I cannot remember a tournament that has had so many last minute goals to decide a match.
In the Euro 2008 semifinal between Germany and Turkey it looked as though the match was heading into extra time before a late goal to Germany’s Philipp Lahm settled the affair in the 90th minute. This time there was no amazing comeback from Turkey.
The fact that Turkey had levelled the match with an 86th-minute strike from Semih ?entürk was dramatic enough.
You would have been a supreme optimist to think the Turkish side would be able to summon one last dramatic equaliser. You can only do this so many times. Just like the run of Dinara Safina in the French Open where twice she came back from seemingly lost positions it is tough to do it four times running.
In this match it was Turkey who were first to score. It was through U?ur Boral’s in the 22nd-minute of the match. The lead was short lived as Germany hit back within minutes. This time it was Bastian Schweinsteiger who scored just four minutes later.
With 11 minutes left in the match extra time was looking likely before Miroslav Klose got on the end of a long cross and headed Germany into the lead. Turkish goalkeeper Rü?tü Reçber tried to reach the cross however Klose beat him to it.
Surely Turkey could not come back yet again, but comeback they did. It was Sabri who setup Semih with his cross being turned in for the goal that levelled the match.
Turkey would now feel the heartbreak of having the match snatched away from them in the dying moments as a one-two between Hitzlsperger and Lahm that saw the latter knock in the winner.
It was the end for a brave Turkish team that had thrilled so many football fans. They had pulled off the impossible against Switzerland, Czech Republic and Croatia with last-gasp goals however they could not do it this time around.
Germany deservedly advances to the final of Euro 2008 where they await the winner of the Spain-Russia match.
Will Spain and Russia be able to live up to the excitement of the first semifinal? If they can football fans are in for a treat.
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