Cav's Place

One thing is certain about Euro 2008, even before the final: If prizes would be earned by those who deserved them most, Turkey would have won the tournament this time. They weren’t the most technical or the most creative team, but they more than made up for all of that through sheer determination. I’m thinking back hard, trying to remember if I have ever seen any other team, in any competition, do what they did now. Three matches in a row turned around at the last moment and then narrowly losing in the fourth after battling bravely with a decimated squad. They were absolutely fabulous and should feel very proud of themselves despite failing to make it through to the final, as indeed they do. I think they’re right in saying all of Europe is talking about them and praising them right now. They truly deserve it and nobody can take that away from them, not that anybody’s trying.
After a rather poor start against Portugal they became unstoppable, apparently through sheer willpower. The match against Switzerland also started badly for them, but they managed to equalize early in the second half and then scored again in the 92nd minute to give themselves a dramatic win. That run continued in the next match, against the Czech Republic, when they were being led 2-0 in minute 75, when they finally managed to pull one back, only to turn the match around completely with two more goals in minutes 87 and 89 and managing to defend that result through injury time with a field player replacing their goalkeeper, who was sent off.
That got them out of the group stage and earned them a quarter-final date with Croatia, which was uninspiring for about 110 minutes until both teams decided to suddenly start attacking towards the end of extra time. Croatia managed what appeared to be the winning goal in minute 119, but Turkey were not about to be denied. Making the best of every last second of injury time added to that last half of extra time, they scored in minute 122, right when the referee was about to end the match. Then, as the Croatians were visibly demoralized by this turn of events, they managed to win the penalty shoot-out 3-1.
As a result, they set themselves up with a semi-final against Germany. Things looked very grim for them, hardly having enough players to put on the field. They had four suspended and four injured players, plus one other who could hardly be called fit but was willing to do his best if he’ll be needed anyway. That left them with 14 fit players (or 15 if you also count the partially recovered one), two of which were goalkeepers. It was no question of tactics or putting players in the positions they’re best suited for, it was only a question of putting enough players on the field to be able to play, hoping their determination would do the rest. It almost did, as they were the first to score, in minute 22, but Germany fought back, drawing level in minute 26 and taking the lead in minute 79, only for the Turkish fighting spirit to show it’s true strength again as they once again pulled back in minute 86. But their valiant but exhausted makeshift squad could only look on as the Germans scored again in the 90th minute. They tried to pull their amazing stunt one more time in the minutes of injury time, but for once they were unable to do so.
All that’s left to say is… Thank you, Turkey, for showing the world how sports should really be played. For all it’s worth, I’m sure history will remember this.