Turkey run out of miracles in heroic semifinal defeat to Germany at Euro 2008

Finally, Turkey ran out of miracles. This time it was Germany that found the last-minute winning goal in the dying moments.

The Turks' dramatic, roller-coaster ride through Euro 2008 came to halt at St. Jakob Park on Wednesday with a 3-2 defeat that covered coach Fatih Terim's team in glory - but no place in Sunday's final in Vienna.

Germany fullback Philipp Lamm's 90th-minute waltz through Turkey's makeshift defence - patched together after being struck by injuries and suspensions - ended with a shot high into the net.

There was no coming back from that.

Four minutes earlier, another of Terim's trademark miracles had seemed possible. Down 2-1 and desperately throwing men forward, striker Semih Senturk had levelled the game in typical Turkish fashion. His third goal of the tournament came from a near-post flick shot that squeezed into the net from a near-impossible angle.

"I'm proud of my players and their desire," said Terim, who seems ready to stand down from his job.

Turkey midfielder Kazim Kazim said the players' locker room conversation was about looking forward to the World Cup qualifiers beginning in September.

"The belief in this team is unbelievable," Kazim said. "We can take this experience into the World Cup qualifiers."

Impossible is nothing, the advertising slogan goes, and so it has been for Turkey these past two glorious weeks in Switzerland and Austria.

Against Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Croatia - the last two in do-or-die elimination games - Turkey found the late, late show it needed.

On the brink of their first major competition final, the Turks found Germany just too tough to overcome.

It will be little consolation that Turkey go home after its most ambitious, impressive and complete display of the tournament. And this with Terim having only 16 of his original squad of 23 suited up to play.

"Our aim was to play well and prevent them from playing well, and we did this," the coach said. "It's not easy to stop Germany."

Ugor Boral had given Turkey a fully deserved lead in the 22nd minute, the first time Turkey had scored in the first half of its five Euro 2008 matches. He was first to react to shoot through Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann's legs when Kazim Kazim's shot came back off the crossbar.

Bastian Schweinsteiger equalized four minutes later. He met Lukas Podolski's low cross from the left with a clever shot at the near post.

The game was evenly poised until the 79th minute when Miroslav Klose met Lahm's cross and headed into an empty net as goalkeeper Rustu Recber rushed out to try to punch clear.

The banner unfurled by Turkey fans before the game said everything about the team's prior performances - "Don't Try This At Home. Only Turks Make Miracle."

From the first whistle, Turkey set out to prove it, denying Germany space and surprising its opponent with enterprise and ambition, having nine shots on goal in the first half.

Kazim Kazim tested Lehmann with a long-range shot in the seventh minute. Then, Hamit Altintop, who had been released to play a role much further upfield this game, intercepted Lahm's pass deep into Germany's defence and poked a shot against Lehmann's legs.

This was a very different Turkey and the Germans seemed startled. Ayhan Akman retrieved a loose ball near the byline. The left side of Germany's defence was dozing again when Sabri Sarioglu crossed to Kazim Kazim. His looping shot from 10 meters rebounded off the crossbar and Boral followed up to score.

Yet Turkey seemed determined to try to win this tournament by leading matches for a minimum amount of time. The team stayed ahead for just four minutes, making it a total of 14 in which Turkey have led in more than eight hours of action.

The Turks could easily have been behind six minutes into the second half when Germany had a sure call for a penalty denied.

Sarioglu took out Lahm with a check to the hip, but Swiss referee Massimo Busacca waved play on, to derisive whistles from the German fans behind Recber's goal.

The game settled into a committed stalemate in the middle of the field with few chances created, until Recber's error let in Klose.

Turkey showed they can never be counted out, by striking back through Senturk. Then Lahm got his revenge for the penalty non-decision, waiting for Recber to commit to dive before shooting just inside the near post.

"In the last couple of games teams were better than us and we won," Kazim said. "Today we were better and we lost. They (Germany) were more experienced than some of our players."

The miracle workers had reached the end of their magnificent line.

Quarterfinals /Spain gives Italians the boot

Spain went through to the semifinals of Euro 2008 last night after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over reigning world champion Italy.

Spain created more openings in a match that would decide which team faces Russia in Thursday's semifinals, but neither team performed at anything like its peak.

	Advertisement

Italy went closest in the 61st minute when substitute Mauro Camoranesi had a goalbound shot blocked by the legs of goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

With key midfielders Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso suspended, World Cup champion Italy seemed mostly content to try and stifle a Spain team that had shown some of the best attacking football in the group stages.

Spain's best opportunity came in the 81st when goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon spilled a fierce long-range shot by midfielder Marcos Senna. The ball squirmed out of his hands and rolled back to hit the post before landing softly back in his arms.

The first half had been so poor that both sets of fans jeered the teams off the field for the interval, with the most noise by the heavily outnumbered Italian fans coming when Antonio Cassano took a 40th-minute corner right in front of them.

Spain at least attempted some enterprising football and had 10 shots to Italy's two, but the Italians' defense was so secure that only a blocked effort by David Silva came from inside the area.

The move that led to that chance was arguably the brightest spot in a stultifying first half. David Villa set up Silva with a back-heeled return pass so audacious that even retired France great Zinedine Zidane, who was watching from the stands, nodded in approval.

Russia Defeats Netherlands at Euro 2008

Russia has defeated 1988 champions the Netherlands, 3-1 in overtime, to reach the semifinals of the European football championships in Basel, Switzerland.

Roman Pavlyuchenko gave the Russians the lead in the 56th minute, but Dutch captain Ruud van Nistelrooy equalized for the Dutch in the 87th minute to send the match into extra time.

The Russians scored twice in extra time when Dimitry Torbinski and Andrei Arshavin scored within five minutes of each other. Torbinksi scored in the 112th minute while Arshavin added another goal in the 116th minute.

This is the third match when an underdog team has beaten a group winner - Portugal and Croatia both lost their quarterfinals. The Netherlands had won all three of its preliminary round games in Group C, including wins over World Cup champion Italy and finalists France.

Russia, led by former Dutch national coach Guus Hiddink, will play the winner of Sunday's quarterfinal between Spain and Italy. The other semifinal has Germany facing Turkey.

Turkey's miracle men give European football a true lesson in determination

The Turkey-Croatia game at Euro 2008 provided one of the most amazing finishes in the history of sport. This is what football is all about. The incredible ability and determination to win, no matter what the odds.

Croatia are the better team and probably deserved to win, but Turkey taught European football a new lesson in determination.

They seemed a beaten team when Croatian substitute Ivan Klasnic fired what seemed certain to be the winning goal in the 119th minute. But Semih Senturk equalised for Turkey with the last kick of the game - and then came an astonishing penalty shootout in which Croatia missed three out of four spot-kicks, the last saved by veteran goalkeeper Rustu Recber to earn Turkey a semi-final showdown against Germany.

Every football manager around the world should start the preparation for next season by showing his players this game. Never give up and always try one more time to reach you goal.

Tiger Woods showed the world what one person's mental toughness can achieve by playing through pain to win another US Open against all odds. Turkey’s football team showed the same world-class by overcoming the odds and winning again and again.

Germany seal berth of Euro 2008 semifinals

Germany beat Portugal 3-2 in the first quarterfinal match of Euro 2008 here on Thursday, braving into the semifinals of the 24-day tournament.

Midfielder Bastian Schwienseiger and sriker Miroslav Klose scored in the first half while captain Michael Ballack regained the lead with a score in the second half to gift Germany of the surprising victory.

Portugal, which finished as winners of the Group A, found face back with two scores, one from captain Nuno Gomes in the 39th minute, the other from Helder Postiga's header in the 87th minute.

In a sold-out St. Jakob Park Stadium, German and Portugal fans witnessed a full-fledged attacking football gala staged by the two teams, both were considered as favorites to the tournament.

German coach Joachim Loew, who was banned from coaching zone by UEFA, made several changes over Germany's lineup.

Schweinsteiger was among the lineup as the Bayern midfielder scored twice in beating Portugal in the third-place play-off at the 2006 World Cup.

Schweinsteiger played very aggressively and became the shining playmaker of the decisive game.

Schweinsteiger's penetration and free kicks posed severe threats to Portugal's defense line, contributing to Germany's all three scores.

In the 22nd minute, Schwienseiger broke the deadlock by making the first score after he received a superb pass from Lukas Podolski, who made several one-two tricks with Ballack and Philipp Lahm, dribbled the ball into the area and sent the ball to Schwienseiger from left side.

Three minutes later, Schweinsteiger's free kick overpassed Portugal's defense wall and found unmarked Klose, who headed the net with ease.

In the 61st minute of the second half, Schweinsteiger assisted Ballack's header with a cirling free kick, widening Germany's lead against Portugal.

On the Portugal side, coach Liuz Felipe Scolari made no change to its prime lineup in the group matches and stuck to the 4-2-3-1 system. Gomes served as lonely striker while Critiano Ronaldo and Simao Sabrosa played the backup wingers.

The runner-up of Euro 2004 also staged formidable offensive edge.

In the 39th minute, Portugal fought back when caption Gomes found the net with a pass from C. Ronaldo.

Ronaldo penetrated into Germany's area rapidly, his shot was bounced back by German goalkeeper Lehmman, but the ball went to the feet of Gomes, availing him of easy shot.

In the 87th minute, Helder Postiga's header narrowed the gap with Germany.

Despite lagged behind Germany, Portugal still created many opportunities.

In the 10th minute, Gomes missed a good chance as Simao sent a superb pass from the right side of the area, but he missed the ball.

In the 19th minute, Gomes's powerful shot was just above the cross bar.

During the second half, rain did not dampen the enthusiasm of Portugal to stage attacks. In the 55th minute, Gomes missed a superb pass from Ronaldo, while one minute later, unmarket Pepe headed the ball just above the cross bar.

However, Ronaldo did not get enough support from his teammates, the Premier League best scorer had to bid farewell to Euro 2008 with regret.

Germany will face the winner between Croatia and Turkey in the Euro 2008 semifinals on June 25.