After the first match of the tournament which they lost against Portugal 2:0, everything seemed to go well for Fatih Terim's warriors. Winning the two other games in the group stages with a last minute goal against Switzerland, the unbelievable comeback against Czech Republic, and of course in my opinion the match of the tournament where they defeated Group B winners Croatia.
Did they bring all the luck of the world from their home country? Or we may just see another Euro 2004 saga where the complete outsiders lift the trophy! In the end, Terim's picked up players deserve great applause for that marvellous fighting spirit they showed on the pitch. This should be a great doctrine for other teams that the match doesn’t end until the final whistle. Turkey won 3 matches in a row with a late goal after they were one and respectively two goals down. Do they really wait for their opponent to score first before they start playing their game? Who knows... but we can freely talk about it since that's what the facts indicate.
The beginning of the Euros didn't start well for the Turks. They lost the first match against group favourites Portugal after goals from Brazilian born defender and current Real Madrid player, Pepe and a late goal from substitute Raul Meireles. That seemed to be the end of Turkey's Euro 2008 run after the Czech's win in the other game against co-hosts, Switzerland. The Czech’s would have been considered favourites alongside Portugal to reach the knockout stages. However things turned around when they met the Swiss; by winning the match after they started the second half with one goal down. The first goal came from their super-sub Senturk who tied the score in the 57th minute of the match. It was 90th minute which saw Swiss hopes crushed after a great strike from Turkey's young sensation Arda Turan which won the match for Turkey.
And it had to be decided in the last match of Group A between them and Czechs to follow Portugal into the quarter-final of the 13th edition of UEFA European Football Championship. The match started as a pretty nightmare for Turkey who were two goals down until the 75th minute when their youngster Arda Turan again scored the goal of hope for them with 15 minutes remaining. Real drama then unfolded in the final minutes of the match. An amazing fumble by the Czech Republic’s star player until then, Petr Cech let Nihat Kahveci have an easy tap in to score for a 2:2 score line in the 87th minute of the match. Just two minutes later, and Nihat became the hero of the night after beating Cech again and this time leading them to quarter-final and reminding us of the CL Final 2005, with Liverpool coming with an amazing comeback after a 3:0 down against AC Milan.
Turkey secured a semi-final berth after a dramatic penalty shootout against Croatia after 90 minutes + extra time gave us a 1:1 with two last minute goals. It was Slaven Bilic's team who had taken the lead in 119th minute after an awful mistake by Turkey's second choice goalkeeper and former Hero of 2002, Rustu Recber who had to replace Fenerbahce's Volkan Demirel's due to suspension after he pushed Czech Republic striker Jan Koller in the closing stages of the previous match. While everyone was waiting for another Croatia - Germany show, Turkey had other ideas and it was again Semih Senturk who stopped the celebrations with an unbelievable 120+2 minute goal. It was Rustu who became the hero of the night from the flop of the match as he sent his country to the semis and will be between the sticks also for the next match. This thanks to a save on Petric after two misses from Modric and Rakitic.
It was the last time in World Cup 2002 that we could see a great Turkey with Hakan Sukur, Hasan Sas, Ilhan Mansiz and their hero Rustu Recber who were Turkey's lead stars that finished 3rd in that tournament, and that great Turkey seems to be back with different staff and players but the same spirit of glory.
Now, they've reached the semi-final and will meet Germany who are favourites to win the tournament. Fatih Terim doesn't have many options in this match because of player suspensions and injury problems including to their top striker Nihat, will be out of this match. But they won't get their hopes down, since the ball is round and anything can happen in today's football. For what is certain, it will be a match to remember no matter who leaves the stadium victorious.
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