Germany's Philipp Lahm (left) scores the decisive goal during the semi-final match between Germany and Turkey in Basel at the Euro 2008 Championship yesterday. Germany defeated Turkey 3-2. - AP
BASEL, Switzerland (AP):
PHILIPP LAHM ended Turkey's storybook run in the European Championship yesterday by scoring a 90th-minute goal to give Germany a 3-2 semi-final victory and keep them on target for a record fourth title.
With two goals in the final five minutes, the match could have gone either way but, after three thrilling comeback victories in a row for Turkey, it was Germany's day.
First, Semih Senturk kept Turkey in the game with an 86th-minute equaliser. He beat Jens Lehmann at the near post after surging in to deflect a low cross from Sabri Sarioglu, who had fooled Lahm with a classy move.
Finding redemption
With the Turkish fans celebrating wildly, Lahm immediately sought and found redemption to decide a classic. He cut in from left, set up a one-two with Thomas Hitzlsperger, collected the ball and shot it past Rustu Recber to unleash the joy of about 20,000 German fans at St Jakob Park.
"Totally crazy feeling," Germany coach Joachim Loew said. "It was unbelievable. It was a crazy, incredible drama with all these goals in the final minutes."
Turkey have had their share of crazy finishes, scoring late to beat Switzerland and the Czech Republic in the first round, and then getting a late goal to force penalties against Croatia in the quarter-finals.
"It was very tough to come back after 2-2. They always score in the last minute," Loew said. "It showed that we have the right mentality. It was a class goal to settle it."
In the first half, Ugur Boral gave Turkey the lead in the 22nd, but Bastian Schweinsteiger equalised in the 26th.
Long cross
Miroslav Klose seemed to have closed out the match for Germany in the 79th. Lahm sent a long cross into the penalty area, where Klose cut in front of Mehmet Topal and a hopelessly out of position Recber to head into the empty net.
The Germans, however, were not counting on the resilience of a Turkish team which never gives up. But this time, even Senturk's second late goal in as many matches was not enough. Germany, too, are long known as playing full-out until the final whistle, and moving Lukas Podolski into a more forward position in the second half helped keep up the pressure.
"They took us off guard," Loew said. "During the second half a second striker did us good."
Germany will play the winner of today's second semi-final between Spain and Russia in Vienna on Sunday.
"Good luck for the final," Turkey coach Fatih Terim said to the Germans. "We just fell short."
