In Group A, hosts Switzerland exited the tournament in style with a 2-0 win over group leaders Portugal. The Portuguese, who had already qualified, fielded a reserve team to keep their whole squad sharp in preparation for their quarter-final tie, meaning key players like Deco and Ronaldo were rested. The Swiss took advantage by winning 2-0, with both goals coming from Hakan Yakin. Yakin finished the tournament as Switzerland's only goalscorer, with 3.
The other game was one of the most dramatic International matches in years- or, at least, the last 20 minutes was. Whoever won between the Czech Republic and Turkey would go through, with a penalty shoot-out in store were the game to finish level. Jan Koller and Jaroslav Plasil put the Czechs 2-0 up, leaving Turkey looking dead and buried. But just as they had made an amazing comeback against Switzerland in the previous game, the Turks came back again. First Arda pulled a goal back with 15 minutes to go. Then the Czech goalkeeper, Petr Cech (one of the very best goalkeepers in the world), made a huge mistake with just three minutes remaining by dropping a crossed ball at the feet of Nihat, who slotted the equaliser home. Two minutes later, the revitalised Turks scored a sensational winner, when Nihat curled a high dipping shot in-off the crossbar. The drama wasn't over yet - Turkey's goalkeeper Volkan was red-carded for pushing over Jan Koller in an off-the-ball incident. Having used their three substitutes already, Turkey had to ride out injury-time with an outfield player, striker Tuncay, in goal. But the dejected Czechs were unable to test him, and Turkey qualified with a 3-2 victory.
Group A Final Standings
(Columns are Played, Won, Drawn, Lost, Goal Difference, Points. Teams level on points are separated on a head-to-head basis first, on goal-difference second.)
Portugal.................3....2....0....1....+2...6
Turkey...................3....2....0....1.....0....6
Czech Republic.......3....1....0....2....-2....3
Switzerland............3....1....0....2.....0....3
Group B's final games weren't very exciting. With Croatia already qualified, they also fielded many of their second-choice players for the match against Poland. They still dominated, and won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Ivan Klasnic. Klasnic's story is remarkable - the big striker, who plays for Werder Bremen in Germany, suffered kidney failure in January of last year. He underwent a kidney transplant, but the organ was rejected, meaning he needed another transplant in March of 2007. Finally he was able to play football again at the end of the year, and returned to the Croatia squad in March. Though he still has to wear a protective shield around his mid-riff, his goal against the Polish marked the culmination of a truly impressive comeback. Croatia will now face Turkey in the Last 8.
Article comments
1 - Alessandro
Good job, Ally.