Germany 3-2 Turkey

Philipp Lahm's last-minute winner sent Germany into the Euro 2008 final and sank a desperately unlucky Turkey.

Lahm stole in on Thomas Hitzlsperger's pass to beat Rustu Recber and give the Germans victory after a thriller in which Turkey were the better side.

Ugur Boral scrambled Turkey ahead after 22 minutes, but Bastian Schweinsteiger equalised quickly from close range.

Miroslav Klose headed Germany in front after 79 minutes, but Semih Senturk levelled before Lahm's late strike.

Germany barely deserved the victory, but once again they have reached a major final despite being unconvincing, where they will face either Russia or Spain in Vienna on Sunday.

Ravaged by injuries and suspension, Turkey defied all expectations to produce an outstanding performance full of grit, desire and no little quality and they should have been well in front by half-time.

Former Sheffield United forward Colin Kazim-Richards held his head in anguish in the 12th minute when he rattled the bar with a powerful shot that left German keeper Jens Lehmann well beaten.

He was denied by the woodwork again with a looping finish 10 minutes later - but this time Ugur was lurking to scramble in the rebound through the legs of the despairing Lehmann.

Stunned by the speed of Turkey's opening, Germany responded to equalise after 27 minutes.

Lukas Podolski was the creator with a run and cross from the left flank, but it needed a sweet finish with the outside of Schweinsteiger's right foot to beat Rustu.

Lehmann was having a nightmare and he had to scramble back hurriedly after misjudging Hamit Altintop's free-kick to turn the ball over the bar.

It was a superb spectacle, and Podolski escaped the attentions of the Turkish defence only to shoot over the top with Klose waiting unmarked in front of goal.

Lehmann was then forced to punch Ugur's powerful free-kick away after 39 minutes as Turkey continued to show the greater ambition.

Germany coach Joachim Low made a change at the interval, replacing Simon Rolfes, who had suffered a head wound in a clash with Ayhan Akman, with Torsten Frings.

The Germans were furious after 50 minutes when Lahm was clearly felled by Sabri Sarioglu, only to see Swiss referee Massimo Busacca ignore their appeals.

But Turkey, under the inspirational leadership of coach Fatih Terim, were continuing to set the pace and Ugur tested Lehmann once more with a shot at the end of a fine run.

Hitzlsperger showed the shooting power that marked his time at Aston Villa with 18 minutes left, shooting just wide from 30 yards with Rustu beaten.

But it was a calamitous error by the veteran Rustu that gifted Germany the lead with 11 minutes left, when he came for Lahm's cross but got nowhere near it, leaving Klose to head Germany in front.

If this tournament has told us one thing, it is that Turkey's refusal to accept defeat means they are at their most dangerous when behind and so it proved again as they drew level again with four minutes left.

Sabri rounded Lahm superbly on the flank, and the poacher Semih stole in to beat Lehmann at the near post.

Turkey looked to have taken the game into extra time, which was the very least they deserved, but their campaign ended in heartbreak in the closing moments.

Lahm raided forward and exchanged passes with Hitzlsperger before firing high past Rustu.

Germany celebrated the victory, but so much credit must go to Turkey for a magnificent effort that deserved so much more.


Germany: Lehmann, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Metzelder, Lahm, Hitzlsperger, Rolfes (Frings 46), Schweinsteiger, Ballack, Podolski, Klose (Jansen 90).
Subs Not Used: Enke, Adler, Fritz, Westermann, Gomez, Neuville, Trochowski, Borowski, Odonkor, Kuranyi.

Goals: Schweinsteiger 27, Klose 79, Lahm 90.

Turkey: Rustu, Sarioglu, Topal, Zan, Balta, Aurelio, Kazim-Richards (Metin 90), Altintop, Akman (Erdinc 81), Boral (Karadeniz 84), Senturk.
Subs Not Used: Zengin, Cetin, Emre, Gungor, Nihat.

Booked: Senturk.

Goals: Boral 22, Senturk 86.

Att: 40,000

Ref: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland).

from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Germany 3-2 Portugal

Germany booked their place in the semi-finals of Euro 2008 by seeing off a below-par Portugal side in Basel.

Bastian Schweinsteiger sidefooted in the first and his free-kick created the second for the head of Miroslav Klose.

Nuno Gomes finished from close range to give Portugal hope, but they failed to defend another Schweinsteiger free-kick and Michael Ballack headed their third.

Portugal substitute Helder Postiga pulled one back in the dying stages but there was to be no grandstand finish.

Portugal had looked so impressive in qualifying for the knockout stages but Luiz Felipe Scolari's reign ended in disappointing fashion.

Scolari, who takes over as Chelsea boss next month, had suggested their lack of height might be exposed by a physically superior German side.

But it was a failure to defend set-pieces that proved their downfall.

In contrast, Germany gave an accomplished display despite suspended coach Joachim Low having to watch the game from the stands.

They will now face the winners of the Croatia-Turkey quarter-final in the last four and will be strong favourites to progress to the final on this showing.

The selection of Schweinsteiger from the start gave them a spark that was missing from their group games.



Germany's Michael Ballack on his decisive goal

He gave them the lead when he got ahead of Paulo Ferreira to burst into the box and steer home a cross from Lukas Podolski, after he had combined well with Ballack down the left channel.

Germany made it two goals in four minutes when Schweinsteiger's curling free-kick was perfect for Klose to head past Ricardo.

It was Cristiano Ronaldo who looked to be the guilty party in allowing Klose a free run at goal.

The Manchester United winger was unable to influence the game and the 2004 finalists' hopes were dealt a further blow when Joao Moutinho was forced off after half an hour.

It was from Ronaldo's shot that led to Gomes' strike, but it owed more to Deco's bursting run from the edge of his own box.

The Barcelona star released Simao and he found Ronaldo, who was denied by Jens Lehmann only for Gomes to show quickness of mind and feet to turn and fire past Christoph Metzelder's attempted clearance.

It was developing into a wonderfully open game, with both sides continuing the theme of the tournament by committing men forward and playing positive football.

Ballack and then Ronaldo went close just before the break and Pepe should have scored with a close-range header from a corner shortly after the interval.

The match looked headed for an intriguing final half hour, only for Portugal's defence to again go to sleep as Schweinsteiger swung in another pinpoint free-kick.

This time it was Ferreira who lost his man, although Ballack did appear to push his Chelsea team-mate before heading past a stranded Ricardo.

Portugal's momentum was stopped in its tracks and they found themselves restricted to long-range shots as Germany looked to close the game out.

Podolski was a yard away from adding to his three goals at the tournament with a hammer of a left-foot shot.

The game got the thrilling climax that it deserved when Nani crossed for fellow substitute Postiga to head in three minutes from the end.

But there was to be no fairytale ending to Scolari's impressive coaching career with the Portuguese.


Portugal: Ricardo, Bosingwa, Pepe, Carvalho, Ferreira, Petit (Postiga 73), Joao Moutinho (Raul Meireles 31), Ronaldo, Deco, Simao, Nuno Gomes (Nani 67). Subs Not Used: Nuno, Rui Patricio, Bruno Alves, Fernando Meira, Hugo Almeida, Miguel, Jorge Ribeiro, Quaresma, Veloso.

Booked: Petit, Pepe, Postiga.

Goals: Nuno Gomes 41, Postiga 87.

Germany: Lehmann, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Metzelder, Lahm, Schweinsteiger (Fritz 83), Rolfes, Ballack, Hitzlsperger (Borowski 73), Klose (Jansen 89), Podolski. Subs Not Used: Enke, Adler, Westermann, Frings, Gomez, Neuville, Trochowski, Odonkor, Kuranyi.

Booked: Friedrich, Lahm.

Goals: Schweinsteiger 22, Klose 26, Ballack 62.

Att: 42,000.

Ref: Peter Frojdfeldt (Sweden).