Turkey - Nothing is impossible but miracles take time

Vienna - Turkey broke Croatian hearts in their quarter-final match of Euro 2008 Friday, as first a last-gasp equalizer from substitute Semih Senturk and then a 3-1 penalty shoot-out victory sealed a dramatic win. The first 90 minutes, which ended goalless, gave no indication of the drama to come in extra-time as Turkey came back from the dead for the third match in a row. Substitute Ivan Klasnic looked to have booked Croatia's place in the last four with a header in the 119th minute but there was still time for Turkey's Semih to blast home an equalizer with the last kick of the game. The goal clearly broke Croatia both mentally as well as physically as Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic missed the target with their spot kicks while veteran Turkey goalkeeper Recber Rustu saved Mladen Petric's effort to complete an incredible comeback. It was the third match in a row at this tournament that Turkey managed to turn a deficit around at the death. Arda Turan netted a last-minute winner against Switzerland and also scored in Turkey's subsequent two-goal comeback against the Czechs, when Nihat Kahveci scored twice in the last three minutes in a 3-2 win. Turkey coach Fatih Terim said he tried to impart his philosophy that 'nothing is impossible but miracles take time' on his players. 'I told them never to give up,' he said. 'I set them very important goals. I said that they shouldn't be afraid to lose, to concede or to give up until the final whistle.' Croatia coach Slaven Bilic said the result would 'haunt me for the rest of my life' before adding that Turkey's last-gasp heroics were no coincidence. 'This is the third match that they have won in this extreme fashion,' he said. 'If they continue to be lucky and don't give up they could reach the final. 'They don't just have quality, they have something else and you need that something else in football.' Terim agreed: 'My colleague is right. We do have that something extra special.' With Emre Asik, Arda, Tuncay Sanli and Volkan Demirel (pending his appeal against a two-match ban) all suspended for Wednesday's semi- final against Germany and captain Nihat the latest on the injury list, Turkey will have it all to do against the three-time winners. Earlier Germany coach Joachim Loew said he believes that his side's elimination of Portugal the previous night shows that Germany are 'a force to be reckoned with' at Euro. 'We showed in this game that we are a factor in this tournament and that the strong Portuguese weren't able to withstand the pressure of a quarter-final,' he said. Loew may have Torsten Frings back in action for the match against Turkey in Basle as he continues his recovery from a cracked rib. The Werder Bremen player trained Friday with his chest taped but was kept out of any tackling. Russian coach Guus Hiddink hopes to become a traitor by guiding Russia to victory over his native Netherlands in the tournament's third quarter-final in Basle on Saturday. 'I hope to be a big traitor tomorrow (Saturday). Maybe in Holland they won't let me in afterwards, but I don't mind, I am used to that,' he said. Italy defender Andrea Barzagli has undergone a short operation on his injured left knee. The arthroscopic surgery in a Vienna hospital was carried out by team doctor Andrea Ferretti. Barzagli, who joins German club VfL Wolfsburg for the new season, will play no further part in Euro 2008 but wants to stay with the Italy squad, just like captain Fabio Canavaro who is also with the Azzurri despite a pre-tournament injury.

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Dr. Cajetan CoelhoJun 21st, 2008 - 14:33:33

'Nothing is impossible but miracles take time' - Turkey coach Fatih Terim.

In European and World Soccer, Turkey has been making rapid progress. In little over a decade, be it in the European Champions League, UEFA Cup, Euro Football or the World Cup Football, Turkish footballers have tasted remarkable success. Football giants like Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and other Turkish clubs attract footballers and coaches from around the world.

The Turks have also carved out a huge fan base all over Europe and elsewhere. If one travels around major cities in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Holland, Germany, UK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and even in tiny Luxembourg, one can easily find Turkish restaurants serving Turkish delicacies.

Eating places carrying names such as Izmir, Istanbul, Antalya, Ankara, Bodrum and others keep on popularising Sis kebabs, doner kebabs, kofte, pilavs, borek, dolmas and mouth-watering helvas and desserts.

With football and cuisine as some of their effective weapons, the Turks are nicely getting themselves integrated as industrious and honorable citizens of the larger world. Was it not said by some one, that the best way to get to some one's heart is through the stomach ? Turkish football is further an icing.

Congratulations to Turkey for making the semis.

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