Croatia-Turkey, Quarterfinals, EURO 2008 [R]

[Hrvat]

I should stop following this sport. The alternative is developing a nerve related disease. No words, no words...

[glennaldo_sf]

They should never clear suspensions, players that already have a yellow card should be careful, don't let them think that in the last match before the yellow cards are cleared they can go get another since they will not get suspended for it anyway.

They shouldn't clear suspensions but FIFA/UEFA should seriously consider utilizing video technology to overturn bogus yellow cards issued for silly things. I remember in Euro 2004, Pavel Nedved got a yellow card in the quarterfinal when a Danish player dived and he didn't touch him! If Nedved had gotten another yellow like that and Czechs reached the final, he would've missed it. With this being the year 2008, you'd think the governing bodies of football would think to try and apply technology to breed fairness but I guess not.

[JeremyEritrea]

You lack imagination.

How do you propose knock out games end if they're tied after 90 or 120 minutes?

Let's hear your solution.

[code1390]

Personally I think it should be three yellows to be suspended for accumulated cards. But thats just me.

[glennaldo_sf]

Personally I think it should be three yellows to be suspended for accumulated cards. But thats just me.

Are you from Croatia or is your name Graham Poll?

:D

[Striker X]

I knew Recber was going to be a player to watch, but didn't realize he would be so pivotal to the game.

Obviously he has some years to him but he made a spectacular save on Srna's kick and I think it was lazy defenders that put him out of position on Croatia's goal. Couldn't believe his direct kick found Senturk for the Turkish response.

Was pretty fitting that the game ended with his save during penalty kicks.

[code1390]

Are you from Croatia or is your name Graham Poll?

:D

Not that I know of and no.

[Almogavar92]

Everyone's talk here is about injuries....

If Fatih Terim has to go onto the pitch and play against eleven Germans, I can see him doing so because that is the level of heart and passion and desire the Turks have in this tournament. It's refreshing and heartening to see this in football today. Injuries and suspensions...blah blah blah and on and on. Today Turkiye didn't have Mehmet Aurelio, Servet, Volkan, Emre Belezoglu and Emre Gungor... next week there will be no Arda, Tuncay, Emre Asik and others... doesn't matter. Another player will step up and play with the same desire. While other teams willingly play second string lineups, there is no such thing with Turkiye. Everyone who has to play will do so and I dare anyone here to open their mouths and write the Turks off easily as they have done so far.

Bastir Turkiye!
Haydi Turkiye!
Yer gok inlesin, bu sesi dinlesin, hep seninleyiz Turkiye!!

[besiktasfan]

Have no words, shocking finish.

OK, we did play maybe too passively, maybe we had better attacked more before. Nonetheless, the chances were there to win this match within 90 minutes, even if we were not at our best in this game, maybe the pressure was too strong, the fear to lose.

The Turks have a good team, great spirit and fantastic moral, they ran a lot and destroyed our game so good they could, but in fact during 120 minutes hardly had opportunities to score and then this finish .... It's unbelievable.
I hate to find lame excuses for a sportive defeat, but this time it has a lot to do with luck. We knew that Turks will try to come back, but in 120 minutes no chance in front of our goal and then in literally last second the first scoring opportunity and the goal, unbelievable. The more unbelievable, as no one of our players made a fault. It seems to me that we could do what we wanted, we had just to lose this one, maybe there is fate indeed, a divine purpose or something.

Anyway, the Turks deserve this win, because they fought until last second and they have shown again that they're very brave. If they can keep this incredible luck, they'll become European champions, no doubt.

I don't know if I should wish them "good luck", because they have it anyways, so I wish them 11 players who are fit to play, whatever player they take, (could be the grandmother of the coach), they'll win, I think.

haha: ) i made the same joke after the match ... croatian team was great ..i like Slaven Bilic really ! so congrads to croatia ..i am happy that we are in semis , but also can share and understand your sadness.. Croatia was one of the best of this tournament and brought exciment to it..

[lurking]

And who did you predict to win this game just played?

I thought either team could win, but thought Croatia the better team and more likely to go through. But the outcome wasn't terribly surprising (1-1, PKs).

Ill be really suprised if Turkey can compete with Germany.

[evangel]

I don't understand people saying that Turkey will only have thirteen players. Isn't Mehmet Aurelio and the goalkeeper Demirel coming back after a game suspension?

[NickyViola]

How do you propose knock out games end if they're tied after 90 or 120 minutes?

Let's hear your solution.

To appoint a commission to find a solution.

The commission would be told that the solution would not be in anyway similar to game of h-o-r-s-e, a home run derby, of a punt-pass-and-kick competition. It would involve the two teams of soccer players playing soccer.

[Lahmfan]

To appoint a commission to find a solution.

The commission would be told that the solution would not be in anyway similar to game of h-o-r-s-e, a home run derby, of a punt-pass-and-kick competition. It would involve the two teams of soccer players playing soccer.
pls stop.....:rolleyes:

[NickyViola]

I responded. Is that out of order?

[Lahmfan]

I responded. Is that out of order?
nope..my bad... keep going...:o

[besiktasfan]

I thought either team could win, but thought Croatia the better team and more likely to go through. But the outcome wasn't terribly surprising (1-1, PKs).

Ill be really suprised if Turkey can compete with Germany.

You will be really surprised then !

[cromagnum]

after what i saw today u could never count turkey out..destiny might be on tukey's side..

[4evermedi]

Yes, Volkan might come bcak (if They reduce his penalty to one game only). There is yet another goalie on the roster. So, if you don't count the two spare goalies, there are only 13 field players to put up a team.

But, it does not matter...truly there is not that much difference between the top four and bottom four on this team. Turkiye has a lot of good midfielders besides Arda and Tuncay. Where we will be short is on the defensive line. I see the Croats as a stronger team than Germany. Whatever 11 Terim puts out there the Turks will give the Germans fits as we will control the tempo of the game. They have more size, we have more skill. Just stop Ballack with his headers and you take away a lot from the German team.

[I PINCH!]

Congratulations to Turkey you put on a great show, Congratulations to my my beloved Croatian team, you did our country proud boys. I think this trounament helped our young guns grow. Rakitic and Modric being placed in those type of must win type of shootout penalties will pay dividends during World Cup Qualifying and the up coming World Cup.

Slaven Bilic, SLAVI GA! he did great! I am proud of our squad all around. Today was a complete heartbreaker, but in the end I will sleep well knowing that our young boys came away knowing and growing as players as men, and we unfiied as a nation.

Ciao

Sivjela Hrvatska

[Redondo85]

What can i say? The past two games have shown that you just cannot rule out Turkey, and despite playing some great football over the course of the tournament i felt Croatia lacked a real ruthlessness in front of goal, which inevitably came back to haunt them in the end.