Who could resist using that headline? And who could resist that finish? You kind of got the feeling that the Czechs were always going to be on the wrongside of a shootout, as the game wore on, but who could have predicted old Nihat, beating a half-hearted offside trap, and icing the game in regular time. You've got to feel for Petr Cech, I wouldn't wish that upon anyone, that is the kind of gaffe that can destroy a career, but I think Cech will be able to bounce back from it.
The result was no more than the Turks deserved. Adra #14 is extremely skilled on the ball, someone will snatch him up after this tournament as will likely be the case with Czech midfielder Libor Sionko who put in another man of the match worth performance. But the man of this match was Tuncay. I have to say, I've been less than impressed with him at Middlesborough, but he transformed my opinion of him in this game. He was literally everywhere. From running the referee's assistant a new corner flag, to putting the gloves on after their keeper was sent off, and everywhere inbetween. I believe it was his ball that played Nihat through to knick the winner as well.
This was by far the best game the competition has produced so far, and I'm hoping the Turks can keep it going and waltz right into the final.
As for today, I look for Germany to eek one out over an inferior Austrian side, rendering the other game meaningless. There's no reason for Croatia to show up, so Poland should be able to have their way. But if Germany take care of business that game becomes academic. So we know what one half of the bracket looks like. And I'll just take my best guess at the other side. Not what we might have thought at the tournament's outset.
Croatia Turkey
Portugal Germany
Spain Romania
Holland Russia
4 comments:
Yay Germany! Ballack with the thunderbolt, and the first Free kick goal that Andy Gray kept begging for. ESPN should get some props for using Andy Gray and Adrian Healey, they have been a breath of fresh air compared to the crap they usually give us for these games, like WC 06, (Shep, anyone?) In unrelated news...Jay Gibbons is back in baseball
The goober
All biases aside, it must be said that Turkey has been by far the luckiest team in the tournament. Now, before I get attacked with responses like, " What? Greece wasn't lucky in 04? Look what they did this year...shit", I'd just like to say that we were surely not the better team in any of our knockout games but we WERE able to ride the wave of belief. Belief that we could shock the world with our tough defense and heart. And ultimately we did. Judging from the game Turkey lacks anything representing heart or conviction in their game.
Sure they threw everyone forward in the final 20 minutes versus the Czechs, but they had to do it. It was do or die and they were somehow able to tie it up due to arguably the worst blunder of Cech's career. Unlike Greece, there was no pinpoint cross, no outleaping world class footballers to head home the winner. In fact, the ball hit Nihat in the fucking foot! I'll attribute the last goal to the shock the Czech's felt after handing the game to Turkey.
As for Turan, he sure does "look" good. But would we even be mentioning his name were it not for a freak deflection in the dying seconds vs Switzerland. Kids got talent no question, but Sam, if you go off and sign a player based on a couple touches, a freak goal, and a goal Cechs saves 7/10 times in the Premiership, you're missing the big picture.
But getting back to riding the momentum, this victory is obviously a huge boost to Turkey but I doubt it will propel them to victory over Croatia. Their goalkepper made almost as bad a mistake as Cech in picking up the moronic red card. He's very underrated as a keeper and if anyone signs a contract after the tournament it will be Volkan. Without this guy no way Fenerbace gets as far as they did. His loss is a huge blow for them and his lack of control is just a warning sign for the impending implosion of the Turks.
russia does not stand a chance against sweden tomorrow
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