Euro 2008 LIVEBLOG: Czech Republic vs Turkey

GROUP A	June 15, 2045 CET, Geneva (Switzerland)
Czech Republic 2 VS Turkey 3 Koller 34′ Plasil 62′   Arda 75′ Nihat 88′ 89′

Just for that last 15 minutes, and more specifically the last two minutes plus injury time, this has been the single most amazing game of Euro 2008. I’m still a bit stunned to be honest. Did this really happen?

2-0 down with 15 minutes to go and Turkey somehow win 3-2. Drama drama drama.

FULL-TIME Wow. The rules of what can and can’t happen in 90 minutes of football can be ripped up and thrown away. Just wow.

- Milan Baros gets a yellow, and he’s not even playing.

- Just so we’re clear, there was no penalty. I think because the ball was already out of play when Demirel pushed Koller.

Demirel got to a cross first, but then pushed Koller, who goes down like a sack of bricks. Tuncay has the gloves on for Turkey now. Madness.

90+ Now the Turkish keeper gets a red! Unreal. No subs left either.

90′ Tuncay kicks it up in the air, maybe expecting Cech to drop it again

90′ Four minutes of added time. I wouldn’t like to be Petr Cech right now.

89′ NO NEED FOR PENALTIES 3-2 to Turkey! Nihat opens up his body and bends it over Cech from the edge of the box. Absolutely incredible.

88′ We’re two minutes from those historic spot kicks now. I’m still shocked.

- Was that really Petr Cech????

86′ GOAL!!! Unreal. Cech drops just plain DROPS a cross and 2-2. Nihat rolls it into an empty net.

85′ Big last five minutes for Turkey. Do or die. Kazim Kazim not doing too well. Can see why he’s not used all that much now.

81′ Cetin with a gift of a chance to head home, but leaps up and nods it wide. He’ll regret that.

79′ Arda brought down by Galasek, who gets a booking.

76′ That goal is proof that Turkey were wasting their time (and yours) by pumping high crosses in. Kazim received a pass and was through on goal there, but came back the other way for some reason. Think he thought the Czechs were doing a better job of defending than they actually were.

74′ GOAL!!! Arda makes it 2-1. Game on people. It was pulled back to Arda on the edge of the box and he found the bottom corner.

72′ For some reason, Rozenhal was dribbling up the field. He was the most advanced Czecg defender when Asik chopped him down. Asik gets a yellow.

70′ Polak takes a sidefooted shot but hits the upright. Went for a diving header at the rebound, but gets Asik’s studs in his face for his trouble.

69′ Hate to say it, but I feel like this is over.

- I like that Tuncay took the flag from the fourth official like a baton and ran it over to the linesman. He’s basically saying “give it here old man, i’m in a rush.”

66′ Lino gets a replacement flag. I hope UEFA operate a “you break it, you buy it” policy.

65′ Linesman drops and breaks his flag. He can’t get the handle back on! brilliant visual metaphor for some of the offside decisions at Euro 2008.

64′ Turkey get the sub done. Asik on for the injured Gungor.

Turkey very very angry. The officials wouldn’t let them make a sub (to be fair, there wasn’t a stoppage). Fatih Terim looks ready to commit murder.

62′ GOAL!!! Plasil makes it 2-0 with one Turkish defender off the field injured.

61′ Koller shows decent pace to get away from Turkish defenders, but his shot is frankly shit.

60′ Gungor on a stretcher with legs strapped. Cetin looked like he was struggling too. Think Koller stomped on his hand accidentally. Lots of problems for Turkey. Not least of which is time.,

58′ Cech catches another cross. Looks like catching practice for him.

56′ Kazim Kazim on for Topal. ITV very very happy.

54′ Ardan crosses at Nihat but Cech says no. Catches it easily. Got to question Turkey’s insistence on crossing towards their tiny tiny striker.

52′ Weird cross bounces at Tuncay in the box, so he flicks it at Cech. Cech catches though. If Turkey do this for 45 then they have to score.

51′ Ardan very much involved right now, as Turkey take the game to the Czechs.

50′ Balta nearly finds Nihat with a cross. Rozenhal gets there first though. Good display from Rozenhal today.

- Strikes me that if Turkey do go for it, then Jan Koller isn’t and his old heavy legs isn’t the ideal man to be leading Czech counter attacks.

47′ Nihat fires over with a karate kick. Then Ardan dribbled down the left before getting tackle. Turkey going for it.

45′ Second half underway. Sabri on for Semih Semturk. Still no Kazim, despite ITV’s slobbering desperation to inject some Englishness into the game.

First half highlights, for anyone sans TV:

- And here’s an image of it going in, via Laurie (thanks Laurie!)

- Vid of Koller goal added below.

HALF-TIME It’s looking like Croatia vs Czech Republic in the quarterfinal, unless Turkey find a way to deal with Koller and to get some attacking of their own done.

45′ Not sure if I’ll be happy to see Czech Rep win this with the long ball game. Cetin saves a shot with his face. Good work.

43′ Koller volleys over. He’s getting plenty chances now.

41′ Koller gets his big head to another cross, but it bounces off his dome and over the bar.

37′ Matejovsky being strapped into a stretcher. Jarolim comes on to replace him.

- I’m now slightly happier with having Koller in my editor’s draft XI. Still should have taken RvN though shouldn’t I? Seems an insane decision in hindsight.

- Cross from Grygera and Koller headed home with some impressive power.

34′ GOAL!!! The big man. 1-0 Czech Rep.

33′ Odd but good save from Demirel. Janulovski’s cross looked to be landing at Sionko’s feet but Demirel basically tackled him.

31′ Altintop takes a fastball to the ribs. Czechs play nice and put it out for a throw. Turkey send it back to Petr Cech. All very gentlemanly.

29′ More good defending from Rozenhal. Slo-mo showed him watching and waiting then darting in to help Ujfalusi. I’m taking that as proof that even perfectly good defenders can turn to poop if they sign for Newcastle.

26′ Rozenhal with a good tackle on Aurelio, got the ball and everything. Aurelio limping afterwards though. Sounds cynical (because it is) but a clean tackle where you get the ball and still injure your opponent has to be considered a success, doesn’t it?

24′ Sionko dribbles inside and has a pop. Over. Czechs looks short of ideas beyond “aim it at Jan”

21′ Jankulovski puts a dangerous ball across with his left foot. Nothing happens though. This game could be a painful march to 0-0 and penalties.

18′ Cetin and Gungor are seeing how many times they can pass to each other at the back.

17′ Matejovsky pulls out a nice shot from a Koller flick on. Cech holds though.

16′ Tuncay flashes one wide. I like his hair, it’s defiantly unfashionable.

14′ Poor Matejovsky illustrates why Tomas Rosicky is first choice attacking mid. Poor pass.

12′ Cevet shadows Sionko for a few moves before shoving him off the ball. He’s a strong fella.

- Aurelio misses Turkey’s next Euro 2008 game. If there is one.

11′ Koller heads over from the free kick.

- My mistake. He was booked for mouthing off after a free kick went against him.

10′ Uh-oh, we have a cardhappy ref I think. Aurelio just got booked for jumping I think.

4′ Topal gets a yellow for a slide tackle. Not a good tackle, but Polak made it look worse by doing a brief re-enactment of “Platoon”

3′ Koller taking a beating from ITV commentators. eg “You wouldn’t say Koller was over the hill, so much as on the way down the other side already.” Ouch. They wouldn’t say that to the big man’s face.

2′ Big buildup for a Jankulovski free kick. Crosses it too high for Sionko though. Feels a bit tense already.

- From the lineups it looks as if Turkey are more adventurous than Czech Rep.

0′ We have kick off. Bit behind schedule, but we’re off.

Cetin changing his boots. What could possibly have been wrong with them?

Players and their now UEFA approved footwear are out. Two rousing renditions of national anthems. Fatih Terim tearing up a bit with pride at the Turkish anthem.

Refs doing a studcheck in the tunnel. Making sure no one’s wearing razorblades on the bottom of the boots I guess.

Bit of a strange situation, I’d actually quite like to see a draw here. Just for the historic penalty shoot out and all.

Don’t forget, Chris is doing a Lazy LiveBlog of Portugal vs Switzerland.

Alright, Coronation Street’s over. Time for some Euro action.

Here are the lineups, big surprise in the Czech lineup. Milan Baros did well in the game against Switzerland, but they’ve ditched him for Koller.

Turkey: Demirel; Altintop, Gungor, Cetin, Balta; Tuncay, Topal, Aurelio, Turan; Senturk, Nihat.

Czech Republic: Cech; Grygera, Ujfalusi, Rozehnal, Jankulovski; Sionko, Polak, Matejovsky, Galasek, Plasil; Koller.

Welcome to the Group A finale LiveBlog. Czech Rep vs Turkey, winner goes through to the quarters as Group A’s second place team.

And you probably know this already, but if it’s even stevens after 90 minutes there’ll be a penalty shootout. Are you feeling the drama? I’m feeling the drama.