Lahm’s late winner burns Turkey

Lahm’s late winner burns Turkey

Wed 25th, June 2008

Basel, Switzerland (Sports Network) – Philipp Lahm scored in the 90th minute to give Germany a thrilling 3-2 win over Turkey in the semifinals of Euro 2008 on Wednesday.

With Turkey trailing 2-1 in the final five minutes of the game, Semih Senturk leveled the match for Turkey, only for Lahm to put Germany through to the final on Sunday as he took a pass from Thomas Hitzlsperger and slammed it past Turkey goalkeeper Rustu Recber from eight yards.

Germany fell behind in the 22nd minute when Turkey’s Ugur Boral found the back of the net, but Bastian Schweinsteiger answered back for Germany four minutes later. Miroslav Klose then put Germany ahead with 10 minutes to play, setting up a dramatic final five minutes.

Germany will now meet either Spain or Russia in Sunday’s final, with those two sides playing their semifinal on Thursday.

Turkey was expected to play extremely cautiously in the opening 20 minutes in an effort to stay in the game. However, the Turks put pressure on the German defense in the opening 15 minutes and were unlucky not to take the lead.

Schweinsteiger gave the ball away in midfield, allowing Turkey to go on the attack. Midfielder Ayhan Akman was making his first appearance of the tournament, but he started well, getting the ball to the end line before pulling it back to the middle of the box for Kazim Kazim. He struck the ball first time, sending it whistling past Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, but the ball crashed off the crossbar and stayed out.

Seconds later, Senturk met the ball at the near post and turned a shot just wide, leaving the German defense rattled.

Turkey’s confidence continued to grow and they found themselves ahead in the 22nd minute.

A low ball was played into the box for Kazim from the left flank, and he floated a shot towards the back post that had Lehmann beaten. Once again the ball came back off the crossbar, but this time Boral was on hand to smack it between the legs of the keeper and over the goal line.

It was a dream start for Turkey, but it soon gave the goal back as Germany’s first chance of the match produced an equalizer in the 26th minute.

Lukas Podolski got down the left wing and delivered a low ball to Schweinsteiger at the near post inside the box. The midfielder then held off his defender and flicked a brilliant shot inside the far post, pulling his team level.

Podolski should have given Germany the lead before halftime when he was released into space and got into the box with only the keeper to beat. Rustu came off his line to challenge Podolski, but the German fired the ball narrowly over the crossbar.

Turkey was clearly the better team in the first half, and probably deserved to be heading into halftime with a lead.

Germany came out a bit more organized in the second half and it had an appeal for a penalty turned down shortly after the restart as Lahm was tripped up on the edge of the area.

Turkey was not quite as adventurous in the second half and it preferred to hold onto the ball and keep it away from Germany, which was beginning to seize the momentum.

The underdogs could not hold out for long, however, and Germany went in front with 10 minutes to play.

Lahm crossed from the left towards the penalty spot, but Rustu decided to challenge for the ball 12 yards from goal. The keeper charged towards the penalty spot but couldn’t get there in time, allowing Klose to nod the ball inside the left post.

Turkey had 10 minutes to turn things around, and just as it has before in this competition, it produced more late drama to even things up.

With only five minutes to play, Sabri Sarioglu dribbled past Lahm near the end line and rolled the ball to Senturk just a few yards from the near post. The striker slid to get to the ball and it snuck between Lehmann and the goal post.

Turkey has become known as the masters of the late goal, but it was then undone by a bit of late German magic in the final minutes.

Lahm made his way up the left wing and slid a pass to Hitzlsperger 25 yards from goal. The German defender then slipped into the box and took the return pass before smashing a right-footed shot past Rustu to finish off the resilient Turks.

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