Euro 2008 Quarter-Finals Day Two

Newshound · Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 32215

20 June 2008 
 
CROATIA 1 (Klasnic 119) 
TURKEY 1 (Semi Senturk 122) 
 
Kranjcar played a one-two with Modric on the centre circle before spraying a crossfield pass out wide to Srna, he sent Modric between two defenders and the tiny playmaker made a run away from goal, creating enough space to rolled a pass to the back post and from 2 yards out Olic slammed the ball against the underside of the crossbar and with the goal at his mercy Kranjcar headed the rebound over. 
 
Rakitic hit a long ball into the Turkey half and Gokhan made a mess of the header, inadvertently flicking the ball onto Olic, as Rustu advanced off his line the ball bounced and Olic over him towards an empty net, Emre Asik got back to clear and Olic, who was off the pitch, headed across goal. I would love to see what sort of ruling UEFA would have invented had that gone it. Rakitic played a great one-two with Pranjic on the edge of the box and tried to curl the ball first time into the top right corner but sent it high into the stands. Rustu made his first difficult save 10 minutes from time, diving across goal to tip away a Srna free kick bound for the right post. Olic could have won it twice in the injury time. He made poor contact with a Modric centre, shooting straight at Rustu, and then horribly miscued after getting a lucky break off a miss-hit Niko Kovac shot. 
 
The Turks were the better side in extra time but rarely threatened. A calamitous mistake by Rustu appeared to send Croatia into the semi-finals. Petric was tackled as he was about to cross from the left flank, Rustu chased down Modric for the loose ball, straying miles off his line, Modric sent a cross to the back post and Klasnic headed into the net as Rustu unsuccessfully scrambled back. Bilic tried to waste time by bringing on Leko but the referee Rosetti, who had a poor game and was too whistle happy, was wise to his tricks and let Rustu launch a goal kick into the Croatia half, Emre Asik threw himself into a pile of Croatian bodies and amid the confusion Semih turned and rifled a left foot shot beyond a shell-shocked Pletikosa. Rosetti blew for penalties as the Turks were celebrating. Shades of Brazil vs Argentina in the 2007 Copa America with the psychological advantage clearing shifting to the team that stole a late equaliser. 
 
Penalty Shoot-Out 
 
Turkey won the coin toss and the penalties were taken at their end. 
 
Modric - Curled low to the right, not even close 
Arda - A poor penalty, left of centre which nonetheless squirms in under Pletikosa 
Srna - Straight down the middle but Rustu goes the wrong way 
Semih - Bottom left with authority, Pletikosa goes the wrong way 
Rakitic - An absolute dogshit of a penalty miles wide of the bottom left post 
Hamit - Curled into the bottom right corner past Pletikosa who now isn't even trying 
Petric - A nervous Petric sees his spot kick brilliantly saved by Rustu 
 
I was getting very, very tired of Croatia's nauseating chest thumping and Bilic's delusion about the quality of the squad at his disposal. Modric? He's got great balance, is a neat passer but hardly the second best player in the World as Bilic claimed. Olic, Pranjic, Petric? Desperately average as are Croatia's centre backs. Rakitic on the other hand looks to be a fantastic prospect. 
 
Germany might as well be given a free pass to the final. Volkan may or may not have his two match ban reduced, Arda and Tuncay picked up yellow cards, ruling them out the semi-final and Nihat, who limped off, could became the latest player to join a growing injury list which includes Servet, Emre Gungor and Emre Belozoglou who admittedly is no great loss. 
 
Turkey win 3-1 on penalties. 
 
Attendance : 50,000 
Assists : Modric, n/a 

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