Euro 2008 Group A Matchday 3
Czech Republic (=2nd, 3/6pts) vs. Turkey (=2nd, 3/6pts)
Sunday 15 June 2008, 20:45 CET
Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
Peter Fröjdfeldt (SWE)
If ever there was a winner-takes-all contest in a group stage, this is it. Things are balanced so finely between the Czechs and the Turks that this match could very well go to a penalty shoot-out to establish who joins Portugal in the next round.
The Czechs are a side of relative pedigree on the European stage, but not since the glory days of the mid 90s have they truly been labled as title contenders.
Still, the last tournament in Portugal saw them reach the semi-finals - an eventuality that, while inferior to their 1996 final appearance, certainly beat their ignominious first round exit at the turn of the century.
Now, though, the Czechs have already made life difficult for themselves by suffering a merited defeat at the hands of Portugal. If they go through at all, it will be in second place, where they will meet a Croatian outfit gunning for success.
Coach Karel Brückner, then, has plenty to think about as he prepared for this game, knowing that the next round could be his side’s last (and, based on form, perhaps should be.)
But before that they must overcome Turkey, and that simply cannot be taken for granted.
Turkey, of course, have only twice before taken part in a European Championship, and only on one of those occasions did they manage to make it through the group stages.
That was in 2000, when they fell at the quarter-final stage to none other than Portugal, one of their tormentors in this current group.
As such, the Crescent-Stars definitely have something to prove in this contest, yet if they are to do so it must be immediate.
The boys from the East have left it late to get started, though, slumping to a fully deserved 2-0 loss to Portugal on the first matchday before only just scraping past the Swiss after fighting back from 1-0 down on Wednesday.
That they were able to win right at the death - and eliminate the Swiss into the bargain - was no mean feat, especially considering that it was a rather unorthodox XI that was sent forth by coach Fatih Terim. As well as compensating for injuries he also made several tactical changes, and these were to bear fruit right at the end.
Given that Turkey also left it late to even qualify for Euro 2008, though, there seems to be little reason to panic heading into what is admittedly a crunch game.
With both sides having a win and a loss so far, Geneva, in fact, holds bitter memories for each. On the first matchday the Turks lost out 2-0 to Portugal in the lakeside city; four days later it was the turn of the Czechs to fall at the hands of the Selecção das Quinas.
As for the history between the two sides, there is relatively little for the Turks to crow about. The sides first met in the Olympics of 1924, during which Czechoslovakia (as the team was then) won 5-2. Since then there have been a further 13 meetings, comprising one Turkish win, two draws, and fully ten losses.
The Crescent-Stars’ record against the independent Czechs is arguably even worse, with just one draw and three defeats to show for their efforts since the initial meeting in a 1994 friendly.
11/06/08
Czech Republic 1-3 Portugal
(European Championship)
07/06/08
Switzerland 0-1 Czech Republic
(European Championship)
30/05/08
Czech Republic 3-1 Scotland
(Friendly)
27/05/08
Czech Republic 2-1 Lithuania
(Friendly)
26/03/08
Denmark 1-1 Czech Republic
(Friendly)
06/02/08
Poland 2-0 Czech Republic
(Friendly)
21/11/07
Cyprus 0-2 Czech Republic
(European Championship qualifier)
11/06/08
Switzerland 1-2 Turkey
(European Championship)
07/06/08
Turkey 0-2 Portugal
(European Championship)
29/05/08
Turkey 2-0 Finland
(Friendly)
25/05/08
Uruguay 3-2 Turkey
(Friendly)
20/05/08
Slovakia 0-1 Turkey
(Friendly)
26/03/08
Belarus 2-2 Turkey
(Friendly)
06/02/08
Turkey 0-0 Sweden
(Friendly)
Czech Republic
With victory on the agenda, Milan Baros and Jan Koller could link up in the forward line, meaning that a midfielder would have to be sacrificed. Ther are no new injury concerns.
Czech Republic Lineup: To be announced
Turkey
Emre is out, while Gokhan Zan and Servet Cetin remain likely to miss the encounter, meaning that coach Fatih Terim could name an unchanged eleven.
Turkey Lineup: To be announced
