Thursday, November 22, 2007

Turkey in Euro 2008

Turkey 1-0 Bosnia-Herzegovina

Turkey secured their place at UEFA EURO 2008™ after Nihat Kahveci's goal earned victory over stubborn Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Second place
Nihat struck at the end of a first half that Fatih Terim's team dominated, yet the hosts were unable to build on that lead and had to endure some tense moments. However, the win assured them of second place in Group C at Norway's expense.

Victory required
With Norway facing Malta in their final qualifier, and just a point separating the third-placed Scandinavians from Terim's men, Turkey needed to win to progress. Nihat, Arda Turan and Nihat again all forced early saves from goalkeeper Adnan Gušo, and with the exception of a wayward Branislav Krunić effort, the hosts dominated.

On target
Nihat, who was proving a constant thorn in the side of Fuad Muzurović's team, finally found a way through two minutes before half-time. Hamit Altıntop found space down the left and crossed for the Villarreal CF forward who finished from 12 metres.


Resistance
A more positive Bosnia-Herzegovina began the second period. Edin Džeko drew a save from Rüştü Reçber and Turkish attempts to unsettle the visitors were now paying fewer dividends. Emre Belözoglu tried to ease nerves among the home supporters with a free-kick that flashed wide. Terim attempted the same thing by bringing on midfielder Gökdeniz Karadeniz for Nihat. The strategy worked as Turkey held out to pip Norway to second place behind Greece and a berth in Austria/Switzerland.

Malta 1 - 4 Norway

Steffen Iversen scored a first-half hat-trick as Norway crushed Malta – but it was not enough to propel Åge Hareide's side to UEFA EURO 2008™.

Iversen hat-trick
The Norwegians needed to win while hoping Bosnia-Herzegovina could break a losing streak against Turkey. In the event, Hareide's team comfortably kept their part of the bargain but Turkey did enough to finish second in Group C. Iversen broke the deadlock 25 minutes in, grabbed a second from the penalty spot three minutes later, then killed off the tie on the stroke of half-time. Michael Mifsud reduced the deficit after the break, though that was tempered by Andre Schembri's 67th-minute red card and Morten Gamst Pedersen's strike to make it 4-1.

Torrid opening
Iversen set the trend with a narrow miss one minute in and Jarl André Storbæk kept up the pressure with a 35-metre piledriver two minutes later. Attempts from Bjørn Riise and John Arne Riise followed as Norway put Malta through a torrid first ten minutes. And it was no surprise when Iversen headed the opener from Storbæk's right-wing cross. A second arrived soon afterwards when Jamie Pace brought John Carew down in the area, and Iversen netted from the spot.

Short-lived recovery
That sparked something of a resurgence from Malta, for whom Pace nearly amends when his 25-metre drive brought a fingertip save from Håkon Opdal. The fightback was short-lived, though, and truly quelled when Iversen smashed in his hat-trick goal from John Arne Riise's cross a minute before the interval. Mifsud pulled one back eight minutes after the restart with a low strike from the edge of the box. However, Schembri then saw red for a second bookable offence and Pedersen's header from Per Ciljan Skjelbred's centre 15 minutes from time ended the contest.


Hungary 1-2 Greece

Greece ended their successful UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying campaign on a winning note after coming from a goal down to grind out a victory against Hungary in Budapest.

Basinas winner
Otto Rehhagel's men were fortunate to go in at half-time on level terms having fallen behind to Ákos Buzsáky's early deflected opener in a lacklustre start. Home defender Vilmos Vanczák threw the visitors a lifeline midway through the opening half when he headed past his own goalkeeper before captain Angelos Basinas scored a penalty a minute before the hour to complete a determined comeback from the European Champions.

Early opener
In the first minute Tamás Priskin broke clear after a mistake by Greek full-back Christos Patsatzoglou, but the defender was saved by goalkeeper Konstantinos Chalkias's fine block. Six minutes later, though, and the hosts' early pressure yielded the lead when Buzsáky went on a mazy run before firing in a shot which deflected off Konstantinos Katsouranis and over Chalkias.

Hungary chances
Greece levelled after 22 minutes with their first real attack of the match when Katsouranis's right-wing cross was flicked across goal by Alexandros Tziolis and headed into his own net by Vanczák. The visitors, so convincing in their 5-0 demolition of Malta on Saturday, were reduced to long-range efforts from Basinas while the home side continued to carve out decent chances. Péter Halmosi should have converted Buzsáky's cross after 31 minutes and midfielder Dániel Tőzsér was denied from 20 metres by Chalkias.

Basinas spot-kick
Greece, though, won a penalty following Hungary keeper Márton Fülöp's foul on Gekas and Basinas stepped up confidently to put Greece in front. Vánczak should have levelled again after 71 minutes but sent his free header straight at substitute goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolidis. It was to prove the last chance for Hungary who finished their campaign second from bottom of Group C.

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