Croatia vs. Turkey
This quarter final and the Holland Russia one were the two that I predicted would be the most entertaining. Both the Croats and the Turks have one option, which is to go for it. Both played some good stuff in the group stages and let's hope they keep it up.
posted by gooner71 @ 8:04 AM
85 Comments:
Gooner reckons that this one will be a cracker and I think he might be right. There's no reason that either side should be cagey. Yesterday's match was terrific and I'm hoping for more of the same. Bring it on!
Here are the teams for today's match:
Croatia: Pletikosa, Corluka, Robert Kovac, Simunic, Pranjic, Srna, Modric, Nico Kovac, Rakitic, Kranjcar, Olic
Subs: Galinovic, Simic, Vejic, Vukojevic, Kalinic, Pokrivac, Knezevic, Leko, Klasnic, Petric, Runje
Turkey: Rustu, Altintop, Zan, Asik, Balta, Topal, Sarioglu, Sanli, Turan, Kazim-Richards, Nihat
Subs: Zengin, Cetin, Emre, Senturk, Karadeniz, Metin, Gungor, Boral, Akman, Erdinc
Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
Can someone tell me what the Rolling Stones have to do with Euro 2008? I appreciate ESPN's commitment to the tournament but they're programming choices leave me shaking my head from time to time.
Recbar Rustu, the veteran keeper, is in goal replacing Volkan Demiril, who was suspended for two matches after his red card in the last match against the Czechs.
It'll be a tight one today but I'm plumping for Croatia. I know that they're up against the comeback kids, but I fancy that they'll have too much quality for the Turks today.
And we're off in Wein....
Luca has the first strike in anger, but his shot ricocheted off one of his own players and went out for a goalkick.
A sharp shot from Altintop there just wide left of the Croatian post.
According to Derek Rae, Tuncay showed the "persistence of an Istanbul carpet salesman" in the match against the Czechs. Nice line - he'll have scripted that one ahead of time.
Ten minutes in and it's been a good deal more cagey than yesterday's match. Maybe it's dawned on the two sides that they're ninety minutes away from a semi-final appearance.
A nice move from Turkey ends up with a foul on Nihat at the top of the box. Dangerous free kick opportunity here....
Altintop takes and it crashes into Niko Kovacs who's now prone on the ground.
Hey, I am here
Who's been on top?
To quote the Beeb
Manchester United have repeated their stance that Cristiano Ronaldo is "not for sale".
The Portugal winger has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid but a statement on United's website says: "We are not listening to offers.
The Turks have edged Croatia in terms of possession. The Croatians are having difficult getting the motor started.
How did the Croats miss both of those!!!!
Oh, Modric opened up the Turks with a brilliant cross but Olic could only smack it off the crossbar and then Kranjcar following up couldn't keep his header down. That should have been 1-0.
How's everything with you, mate?
Emre got a bit of amateur dental work there from Kranjcar.
The game's switched on since you got here, Dave. Stick around, eh? You obviously have a good influence on them.
Tuncay has picked up a yellow card for an elbow. He'll miss the next match if Turkey get through.
Things are going well. My year is almost over.
Good on you, mate! My summer A session ends this weekend. Lovely jubbly.
Could have easily been a penalty there.
TOTALLY AGREE!!!
Btw, Andy Gray is on World Soccer Daily today. You can download it from iTunes at this point.
was he good
This looks bad for Tuncay. He took a nasty rap on the knee from Niko Kovacs and has hobbled off. There's a slight cut and his knee has ballooned up.
I haven't heard it yet. I'm going to try to grab it during half-time.
Half time.
Not much happening since I have been watching
Half-time: 0-0. Not the game we had hoped for yet but with Turkey late heroics this could still give us some thrills in the second half.
Second half starting....no changes yet.
What on earth were the Turkish playing at there? They nearly threw away a goal there but it was eventually cleared out.
Don't give up on this one yet, Dave. Remember that the Turks are the Leeds United are Euro 2008.
Rustu is looking very suspect here.
Kranjcar burst through the middle but didn't have much room to get off a clean shot and Rustu collected easily.
Modric is starting to exert his influence on this match.
Kazim Richards is going off to be replaced by Uge Boral.
Olic finally buries one but unfortunately for him he's ruled offside.
Half an hour left of regular time here. Kranjcar is coming off; he had a disappointing match. Mladen Petric is on for him.
Croatia are still pushing for a winner here with the Turks dropping deeper. Turkey haven't looked the composed side they did the other day.
Oh, Rakatic should have buried that chance. Nice interplay to play him in but he blazed his shot over nervously.
Olic puts a header just wide of the right post. Rustu was watching it and then lunged at the last minute.
An attacking move here for Turkey. Mehmet Topal, the midfielder, is going off in favor of Senturk who was the top scorer in the Turkish league this season.
Fifteen minutes left of regular time. I know that both of these teams have scored late on but this does smell like extra time.
A lovely run by Petric sets up a dangerous free kick for Croatia at the top of the Turkish box.
Dario Srna to take...and Rustu produces a wonderful save to claw that rocket shot out!
Oh, 89th minute and Modric had a chance to nick it home but Rustu saved again. He's saved Turkey's blushes.
It's all Croatia now.
Three minutes of stoppage time to come.
And that's it. Regular time is over. Half an hour of extra time to come. Croatia finished the stronger of the two sides and I expect them to go on to win but there could easily be penalties in this one.
The Germans must be loving this match. They'll want it to all the way.
Into the first period of extra time now and the Turks seem to have had an injection of energy. They've come out the more positive.
Hey, I had the computer taking away from me so I just vegged on the couch.
Some good saves by Rustu
Ivan Klasnic has replaced Olic now.
What ever happened to the paterfamilias, eh?
This one's going to pens, no doubt.
Oooh, that was nearly that. A nice move leading to Tuncay's shot, just wide of the left post.
Fifteen more minutes of this to endure. This has been one of the more disappointing matches. I even nodded off in the second half for a while. Shame, I really thought that this one would have some goals in it.
To compound that, I've got a dinner to get to at 6 with some students. Get on with it!
Emre Asik has picked up a second yellow card now and will be suspended from the next match if they get through. Who knows who they'll have to play?
Nihat did a hamstring there when he took that last free kick and now he's coming off. That's a big loss for the penalties that are surely coming in a few minutes.
Nhat is out.
I hope Croatia make it. There aren't enough Turks left to play in the semi
Really!
Yes, Croatia!!!
ONE MINUTE TO GO
GOAL! Klasnic has won it! But the architect is the classy Luka Modric. I'll look forward to watching him in the Premiership with Spurs next season.
OH my god!!! THEY HAVE TIED IT UP!!!
Unbelievable! The Turks pull it out again. I don't believe it!
Bilic is having a right go at the fourth official, but what's his complaint?
Well, it was really tedious for an hour and 29 minutes and then two minutes of sheer balls-out attack. And now the dreaded penalties.
They said it was just one minute of injury time
Modric is stepping forward to take the first penalty....
And he's missed it! A terrible start.
Now Arda Turan....
And he scores through Pletikosa's hands. A near thing there.
Srna puts his away 1-1
The Turks score followed by a goal by Croatia
1-2
The goalscorer Senturk....scores.
1-2 Turkey.
Rakatic steps up...misses!
Croatia are really in the hole now.
Another miss by Croatia
MAKE THE KEEPER MAKE A SAVE!!
Altintop to put Turkey in the pole position...yes. 1-3 Turkey. They're nearly there now.
one miss or one goal and it is over
AND IT IS OVER!!!!
UNBELIEVABLE!!!!
THE TURKS ARE THE NEW GREECE!!!
Mladen Petric to keep Croatia alive...and it's saved by Rustu!
The Turks are through - no one thought that would happen - amazing result for them!
Bilic is livid because of the added time!
Did you want the Turks to win?
Cheers, mate. I'm off to my dinner. Chat with you during the Holland-Russia match tomorrow, eh?
I'll be there.
Have a good evening
Turkey have still been ahead for just two minutes of their Euro 2008 campaign.
Davey, the Turks are not Greece. Any one of Arda, Senturk, Nihat, or Tuncay, are more positive in their approach than the whole Hellenic team of 2004.
I hated the Alpay, Hakan, and Emre generation of Turkish players because they were like the Greeks. These boys are something special.
But the Germans will eat them up with all of the Turkish suspensions and injuries.
I think it's the bicycle thieves and the either the Dutch or Russians in the final now.
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