After Croatia’s Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic went wide with their spot-kicks, Turkey goalkeeper Rustu Recber saved Mladen Petric’s shot to send his team into the semifinals. Mike McGrath reports.
Turkey’s dramatic penalty shoot-out success after an equaliser in injury time of extra-time at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium stunned Croatia and paved the way for Fatih Terim’s side to reach the semifinals of Euro 2008.
Turkey won in even more stunning circumstances than against Czech Republic in its final group game, having looked dead and buried after Croatia’s Ivan Klasnic had broken 119 minutes of goalless action.
Croatia boss Slaven Bilic had run down the touchline in celebration but there was more to come in a remarkable finale — Semih Senturk rifling into the top corner to force penalties.
After Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic went wide with their spot-kicks, Rustu Recber saved from Mladen Petric to set up a fixture in Basel against Germany on June 25.
It also came against the odds as injuries and suspension left Terim with just 15 outfield players and eight of his starting XI on a yellow card. Victory came at a cost as Tuncay Sanli, Arda Turan and Emre Asik will be banned for the semifinal after picking up yellow cards. Nihat Kahveci also appeared to pick up a groin strain. That will not matter, however, to the Turkish quarter in Vienna which was sent into wild celebrations when Rustu saved Petric’s kick.
Known as “The Emperor,” Terim now has a chance of eclipsing the deeds of 2002 when Turkey reached the semifinals of the World Cup.
Croatia, which destroyed England in the Euro qualifiers, was undone by a stubborn Turkish performance. On the day Steve McClaren got back into management after losing his England job following defeat to Croatia, Bilic’s dream finally ended. This was despite a promising start.
Turkey had reached the last eight with back-to-back comebacks, against Switzerland then famously against Czech Republic — and it looked in danger of falling behind early to Bilic’s men.
It had been a week of turmoil for Turkey, with the coach Terim accused of courting a move back to Italy’s Serie A, then the victory over the Czechs leading to a youngster being injured when shots were fired in the air.
On the pitch, the team was hit by injuries and suspensions, and Croatia almost took advantage of unfamiliarity in the Turkish defence early on. Veteran goalkeeper Rustu, deputising for Volkan Demirel, failed to clear his lines and Rakitic raced down the left to cross for Darijo Srna — only for Hakan Balta to scramble clear when an open goal beckoned.
Turkey squeezed the midfield but Modric managed to find time on the ball to orchestrate Croatia’s attacks. It was Modric, Tottenham’s new signing, who crossed to the far post in the 19th minute but Ivica Olic thudded the crossbar when he had most of Rustu’s goal to aim at. The finish fell to Niko Kranjcar but the Portsmouth midfielder could not tame the ball with his head.
Jeers during the national anthems and a ring of stewards around the pitch hinted at the rivalry between fans, while Tuncay’s elbow on Niko Kovac suggested it between the players. It earned Tuncay a yellow card and a one-match suspension, and he was furious again with Italian referee Roberto Rosetti when a penalty appeal was turned down after Josip Simunic appeared to impede him in the area.
Turkey got even closer to Stipe Pletikosa’s goal when Mehmet Topal grazed the post with a powerful 35-yard drive seven minutes before the break.
After the restart, Arda joined Tuncay in the referee’s book, also earning him a ban. And just like in the first-half, Croatia almost pounced on Rustu’s hesitancy. Failing to collect a long ball, Olic beat him to the ball but did not get enough power on his header. Rustu was down sharply, however, when Modric released Kranjcar and the midfielder poked towards goal.
Turkey went for a change in attack, replacing London-born Colin Kazim-Richards with Ugur Boral, while Kranjcar went off for Petric as Bilic made his move. Just after the substitutions were made, Rakitic fired over from a promising position after exchanging passes with Olic. Olic then just headed over when he met a hanging cross.
Srna’s free-kick was tipped over by Rustu and when the veteran blocked another effort from Olic, extra-time was inevitable.
Klasnic thought he had won it when he headed in Modric’s cross after more Rustu hesitation in the 119th minute, but when Semih found the top corner with a deflected drive, the drama of penalties unfolded.
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