Monday, June 16, 2008

Stunning Nihat one-two floors shattered Czechs

Czech Republic 2-3 Turkey, Sunday June 15, Basel

Trailing 0-1 at the interval, to Jan Koller’s powerful headed goal, the flaccid Turkish XI carried the air of a beaten team as they traipsed towards the dressing room.

They had been bullied by the Czechs’ regrettably primitive long-ball approach – Koller the obvious focus – during a tepid first half. Coach Fatih Terim, searching for inspiration, smartly elected to swap ineffective centre forward Semih for energetic Galatasaray wideman Sabri. This change – and, no doubt, a half-time rollocking by the ex-Milan boss – precipitated a remarkable second 45 minutes which will live long in Turkish, and European, football lore.

More or less from the whistle, Turkey pressed forward – their sprightly, short-passing interplay setting the Czechs back in their stride. However, when Karel Bruckner’s men broke out from the siege to go two goals ahead through lightweight winger Jaroslav Plasil – otherwise totally anonymous – this years’ Euro adventure looked all over for the boys from the Bosphorous. But through the unremitting Basel rain, back they came.

They first had to withstand attempts on goal from bloodied and bandaged Czech midfield workhorse Jan Polak, and particularly veteran beanpole Koller. Each spurned a golden opportunity to grab a killer third. These failures to get the win wrapped up comprehensively would come back to haunt the Czechs, and will continue to do so for some time.

First, it was Arda Turan – so impressive and the match-winner against Switzerland earlier in the week – that breached the stubborn Czech defence. Hamit Altintop’s excellent cut-back drifted behind both Tuncay and Nihat, but Arda charged in from his left-wing post to meet it and fire firm and low past Petr Cech. The Chelsea ‘keeper might have been a little disappointed not to have kept out an effort which sped along the greasy surface to beat him at his near post.

What happened next certainly left Cech more than a little disappointed.

With the Turkish now rampant – flooding forward and creating chances almost at will – the weary Czech rearguard were somehow holding firm; clinging grimly to their slender one-goal advantage. Until the 87th minute, that is.

Altintop’s high, harmless cross eluded Cech’s grip – when he really should have punched clear – and razor-sharp Nihat pounced in between the stricken ‘keeper and the bewildered Tomas Ujfalusi to nudge the ball home for the equaliser.

And, as if such a turn of events wasn’t a cruel enough fate for the Czechs to face, on the cusp of injury time, Turkey snatched a stunning winner.

Another assist from the irrepressible Bayern wingback Altintop found Nihat clear of the Czech offside trap and the Turkish captain curled a majestic shot high and wide of Cech’s floundering reach; the shot crashing in off the underside of the crossbar to complete an astonishing turnaround to rival any other in European Championship history.

To cap it all, Turkish ‘keeper Volkan was dismissed in the dying seconds for a shove on Koller, whose pathetic collapse earthwards tarnished the giant striker’s final appearance in national colours.

Though their football illuminated the previous European Championship, in Portugal four years ago, a Czech Republic side without Pavel Nedved or Tomas Rosicky pulling the strings proved a far more prosaic proposition for their Group A opponents this summer. They struggled manfully to overcome the Swiss in the opening game and, though they were desperately unfortunate to taste defeat at the death against Portugal, it was their opponents tonight that have offered the more enterprising brand of football this fortnight.

For their passion, flair and sheer unpredictability, it is hard to begrudge Turkey a slot in the last eight. A mouth-watering clash with Croatia awaits.

The technical level will be high, and with a potentially explosive nature in the DNA of both sides – not least coaches Terim and Bilic – it promises to be a quarter-final tie to relish.

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