Germany and Turkey clashed in the semi-final game of the Euro 2008 Soccer Championship, a meeting of a come-from-behind underdog and a team everyone thought would do better.
Turkey was missing much of its team to suspensions and injuries. Volkan Demirel, Tuncay Şanlı, Arda Turan and Emre Aşιkwere on suspension, while Nihat Kahveci and Emre Güngör were on the disabled list. Tümer Metin, Servet Çetin and Emre Belözoğlu were questionable.
Germany, the favorite on paper, had been plagued throughout the series by lackluster play. They managed to wake up for the match against Portugal, but on the whole, Germany played without cohesion or motivation.
Germany had a full roster of healthy players and much more experience, which Turkey matched with teamwork and spirit.
If Turkey was outclassed or outmanned, they certainly didn't show it in the first half, as Turkey kept the pressure on the German defense.
At the 21st minute mark, Kazim Kazim deflected a Sabri Sarıoğlu cross off the crossbar; the rebound dropped right onto the foot of Turkish midfielder Uğur Boral who easily tapped it past German keeper Lehmann, who was completely out of position after leaping to reach for Kazim's ball.
At 25 minutes Bastian Schweinsteiger evened the score for Germany. Lukas Podolski took a long lead pass up the left wing and laid a perfect cross to Schweinsteiger, who guided the ball past Turkish goalkeeper Rüştü Reçber.
Though tied in score at the half, Turkey took the momentum into the locker room.
Germany Comes to Life
Turkey got a break early in the second half, as Sabri Sarıoğlu crashed into Phillip Lahm inside the penalty area, which should have brought a penalty shot, but the referee missed the call. Semih Şentürk was called for a yellow cardthe first of the matcha few moments later for an innocuous foul.
Whatever German coach Joachim Löw told his team at halftime seemed to work, as Germany came out of the locker room playing with heart and energy.
Ten minutes on, Hamit Altıntop tackled Ballack fifteen yards outside the penalty area. Ballack was awarded the free kick, but could make nothing of it.
Though Germany stepped up its game, Turkey played just as hard. Both teams had chances, but neither could convert, and the ball spent as much time in one end as the other.
Finally, with eleven minutes left in the game, German forward Miroslav Klose scored, giving Germany a 2-1 lead. Turkish goalkeeper Rüştü Reçber came out of the net to grab a Phillip Lahm cross, but Klose beat him to it, heading the ball into the empty net.
Then with four minutes left, Turkey did it once again, coming from behind to tie the game on a shot from Semih Şentürk Turkish defender Sabri Sarıoğlu beat his man in the right corner and laid a low cross to Şentürk who tipped it past Lehmann with his left foot.
Then in the eighty-ninth minute German defender Phillip Lahm played a give-and-go to midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger, who sent the ball back to perfectly position Lahm to blast a ball past Reçber into the top left corner.
Despite Turkey's best attempts, they could not work their magic; they were too tired, had too may injured players, and had spent their energy getting even, They couldn't answer, and Germany took the match 32.
Turkey's string of last-minute comebacks is broken, and Germany moves on into the finals of the Euro 2008 Soccer Championship.
 Turkish forward Semih Şentürk (C) deflects the ball past German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann (R) to score as German defender Per Mertesacker looks on. (Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images)
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 German defender Philipp Lahm (R) scores his team's third goal past Turkish goalkeeper Rüştü Reçber. (John Macdougall/AFP/Getty Images)
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 Turkish defender Gökhan Zan reacts as the German team celebrates their victory during the Euro 2008 championships semi-final football. (Patrick Hertzog/AFP/Getty Images)
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