Euro 2008: Miraculous Turkey through to semis!!!

Hello everybody and welcome back to Alex's EURO 2008 column!

Today I am looking at Turkey's impressive title charge and how they managed to miraculously fend off a somewhat better opponent for the second time in as many games.

Recap

Turkey vs. Czech Republic

It was do or die for both teams as the remaining qualifying ticket was on the line that night. It all looked set for the Czechs with a 2-0 lead after 62 minutes of play thanks to a first half header from Jan Koller and a second hammer blow by Winger Jaroslav Plasil.

However, the Turks somehow found the courage and tenacity to turn a 2 goal deficit into a 3-2 advantage in the space of only fifteen minutes.

The climb back started with Turan scoring the first of a three goal-Turkish delight job followed by captain Nihat Kahveci's double in the 87th and 89th minutes, which was all the Turks needed to reach the quarter finals; the match, however, ended on a little sour note for Turk keeper Volkan Demirel, who was shown red in extra times. However, the Czech just could not capitalize on that opportunity.

After this victory Turkish coach Fatih Terim a.k.a. The Emperor had the following message for his country:

"I send a message to my country and I say to the people 'get on the streets, celebrate this victory, profit from this moment!’"

Terim may have implied through this statement his team's chances of advancing even further would be rather slim if not next to impossible; in other words, enjoy our moments of victory now before our dream comes crashing down. However 11 strong Turkish athletes had a different say in the matter last night against Croatia.

Quater finals

It was yet another night of history in the European football competition. The match had "battle of the fittest" written all over it. But most importantly, it was a game of spirits as neither teams managed to score in normal time.

The game finally took shape in a heart-stopping high octane extra-time. In the space of the final three minutes of the game, drama was played in the most heart-bouncing fashion.

At the 119th minutes, Klasnic Header gave the Croats that much needed goal to advance to the quarter finals, the first goal of the game nonetheless not the last as the Turks have yet again demonstrated they would fight till the end. Croatia was on the brink of advancing to the Semi Finals when past the last minute of extra time and into that one added minute of injury time, Turkey found one last gasp of hope in the form of Semih's late equalizer to keep the Turkish dream on!

How ironic his name is Semih, as in Semi Finals!!!

That goal led to the much dreaded penalty shoot-out. It all came crashing and burning for the Croats as Modric and Rakitic's shot could not find the back of Rustu's net. Meanwhile Arda, Srna and Hamit Altintop all fired home, with Rustu sending the Croats back home with an incredible save against Petric's attempt, the Turk won 3-1 on the penalties shoot out and booked themselves a well-deserved Semi-Finals ticket against Germany!

Beyond the Game

Turkey's victory and ascent into the last four flies in the face of recent political issues and integration problems in the shape of a failed bid for EU membership. The Turks have celebrated all night long putting their worries behind them for a change and allowing for a wild night of joy and celebrations!

What's interesting about the Croatia vs. Turkey game is that the Croats are well on their way to receive their EU membership whilst Turkey has been in negotiation with Brussels for over 40 years to that extent. Yet tonight the Turks took revenge in style; the question is of course what would happen if Turkey was to win the Euro 2008, surely it would be a slap to the EU's stance regarding the Turk's EU membership bid.

To put it in simple terms; a succesful title charge in the Euro 2008 will have to reopen the negotiation talks for membership furthermore with an Irish no-vote for the Lisbon treaty. Eurocrats will look for new ways to improve the EU's image, accepting Turkey's membership bid with a potential full membership accession in 2015-2020 time would, in my view, be a very strong option to that extent

Winning the Euro 2008 is the only way for the Turks to help themselves integrate Europe even more. As of now Turkey has been compared to the sick man of Europe in some Academic paper. However a sporting victory could turn this image around and the future of Turkey may lie in the hands of 11 strong men with two games to go!!!

Turkey has made so much effort to become European. Winning the Euro 2008 would be the symbolic representation of the Turk's belongingness to Europe despite geographical and cultural factors stating otherwise. It is time for Turkey to be accepted within the EU and not rejected at the periphery of Europe.

To that extent, let's just hope the Germans nor any other European nations i.e. the Dutch (most probably in the finals) won't vote NO against Turkey's bid for Euro 2008 glory!!!

Go Turkey go!!!