Euro 2008 Semi-Final Result: Germany 3-2 Turkey: Schweinsteiger, Klose & Lahm Destroy Turkey - To Face Spain or Russia

Germany have beaten Turkey 3-2 late in the second-half of their EURO 2008 Semi-Final at the St Jakob Park Stadium in Basel on Wednesday, with Semih Senturk scoring a late equaliser, but Phillipp Lahm scoring a late winner to take Germany to the Finals of EURO 2008, against either Russia or Spain.
Turkey were undoubtedly the team in control in the first-half, and took the lead in the 22nd minute with a strike from Ugur Boral, but were undone after Bastian Schweinsteiger equalised for Germany minutes later in their first real attack of the game.
The Germans looked laboured in the opening minutes of the first-half, while Turkey took advantage of the space and assumed early control of the possession.
Colin Kazim-Richards rattled the crossbar in the 13th minute, with Semih Senturk failing to hit the target from a cross after Bastian Schweinsteiger failed to clear the ball as Turkey pressed the German defence.
The Turks took the lead in the 22nd minute after a decent attack down the right-wing.
It was Kazim-Richards who picked-up a short throw-in, with his strike hitting the crossbar yet again. The ball bounced down in front of Jens Lehmann in the German goal, with Udur Boral sliding the ball between Lehmann’s leg’s to open the scoring.
Germany managed to equalise minutes later, with Bastian Schweinsteiger managing to convert Germany’s first attempt on-target to make it 1-1 in the 26th minute, smartly turning the ball past Rustu from a cross by Lukas Podolski.
Podolski, who was starting to cause the Turkish defence problems, surged into the area and shot just over in the 34th minute.
Late defensive confusion from Germany almost gifted Turkey a second goal as the first-half came to a close, with Colin Kazim-Richards having a shot blocked and Sabri Sarioglu shooting high of the crossbar, while Hamit Altintop's shot was blocked to deny Fatih Terim's men a second, and much deserved, goal.
The game went into half-time 1-1, but with turkey by far the bigger threat, with Germany resigned to just one shot on-target.
Simon Rolfes was substituted at half-time after failing to recover from a head injury incurred late in the first-half, with Torsten Frings coming on in his place for the second-period.
The second-half continued in the same vein, with Turkey pressing, but Germany were better organised and restricted the Turks chances.
Germany had a penalty appeal waved-away by the referee minutes into the second-half after Sabri Sarioğlu looked to have brought down Philipp Lahm on the edge of the penalty area, much to the German fans disgust.
But despite the Turkish dominance, Germany scored their second goal of the match in the 79th minute, with Miroslav Klose giving Germany the lead for the first time in the match.
It was a mistake by Turkish keeper Rustu which led to Klose scoring his second goal of the tournament, giving Joachim Löw’s team the advantage in the match with just 11 minutes remaining.
Germany only held their lead for 7 minutes, with Semih Senturk scoring another late equaliser for Turkey, latching on to a cross from slipping the ball past Jens Lehmann’s near-post to make it 2-2.
Although the game looked to be going to extra-time, Phiilipp Lahm scored Germany’s third, and decisive goal of the match.
Lahm played a lovely one-two with Hitzlsperger, before slotting the ball past Rustu to make it 3-2 and give Germany a place in the Finals of EURO 2008, against either Russia or Spain.
Germany will feel lucky to have reached the Final of the tournament, against a spirited and talented Turkish side, who deserved to get more from the match, and who will be destroyed by the result.
Full teamsheets for Germany v Turkey in the EURO 2008 Semi-Final:
Germany Team: Jens Lehmann, Arne Friedrich, Simon Rolfes (Torsten Frings, 46), Bastian Scweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose, Michael Ballack (c), Philipp Lahm, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski, Christoph Metzelder.
Germany Substitutes Not Used: Robert Enke, René Adler, Heiko Westermann, Marcell Jansen, Clemens Fritz, Oliver Neuville, Mario Gomez, Piotr Trochowski, Tim Borowski, David Odonkor, Kevin Kuranyi.
Germany Head Coach: Joachom Löw.
Turkey Team: Reçber Rustu (c), Hakan Balta, Gökhan Zan, Mehmet Topal, Mehmet Aurelio, Semih Senturk, Uğur Boral (Gokdeniz Karedeniz, 84), Kazım Richards (Tumer Metin, 90+2), Ayhan Akman (Mevlüt Erdinc, 81), Hamit Altintop, Sabri Sarioğlu.
Turkey Substitutes Not Used: Tolga Zengin (G), Servet Çetin, Emre Belozoglu, Emre Gungor.
Turkey Head Coach: Fatih Terim.