Trouble despite superior numbers The Turks squeeze into the last 16 against ten brave Czechs

Jan Arnet

26.6.2024

Turkey are through to the last 16 of the European Championship.
IMAGO/Eibner

Turkey play over 70 minutes against the Czech Republic in superior numbers, but struggle. Cenk Tosun finally redeems the Turks shortly before the final whistle. Austria awaits in the round of 16.

Turkey and the Czech Republic have met twice at a European Championship so far. The Turks have emerged victorious twice. It was not quite as dramatic in Hamburg as at the 2008 finals, when the Turks turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 victory in the final quarter of an hour to advance to the knockout round. But this game was also a tough one.

Hammer duel for FranceThe round of 16 pairings at a glance

After Hakan Calhanoglu's opening goal in the 51st minute, everything pointed to a peaceful evening for Turkey. At this point, the 2002 World Cup bronze medallists had already been outnumbered for more than half an hour. Antonin Barak had received his second yellow card after 20 minutes for a foul on Salih Özcan and was sent off by referee Istvan Kovacs. The Czech had received the first, harsh warning for holding.

However, the Turks almost gave away this advantage just a little later in the person of Kenan Yildiz. The 19-year-old from Juventus Turin first stepped on Robin Hranac's Achilles tendon with an open sole and was well served with a yellow card. Just one minute later (!), Kovacs judged the Turkish player's elbow on Vladimir Coufal's head as not worthy of a yellow card.

However, the Czechs did not let these low blows get them down. Before the break, they had the best chance of the entire first half through David Jurasek. After a counter-attack, the Hoffenheim man failed to beat Mert Günok alone in front of goal.

It was Günok who was at the origin of the equalizer: The Turkish goalkeeper dropped the ball after 66 minutes and an aerial duel with Thomas Chory. Thomas Soucek brought the tension back into the game with the 1:1.

Despite being outnumbered, the Czechs pressed for the winning goal in the final phase, which would have sent them through to the round of 16. But it was Turkey who made it 2-1 through Cenk Tosun after a counter-attack in stoppage time.

Telegram and table:

Czech Republic - Turkey 1:2 (0:0)

Hamburg. - 47'683 spectators. - Referee Kovacs (ROU). - Goals: 51st Calhanoglu 0:1. 66th Soucek 1:1. 94th Tosun 1:2.

Czech Republic: Stanek (55. Kovar); Holes, Hranac, Krejci; Coufal, Soucek, Provod (75. Lingr), David Jurasek (81. Matej Jurasek); Barak; Chytil (55. Kuchta), Hlozek (55. Chory).

Turkey: Günok; Müldür, Akaydin, Demiral, Kadioglu; Güler (76. Tosun), Yüksek (63. Yokuslu), Calhanoglu (87. Kökcü), Özcan (46. Ayhan), Yildiz (76. Aktürkoglu); Yilmaz.

Comments: Turkey without Bardakci (suspended). 20. yellow-red card against Barak. Cautions: 11 for Barak. 31st Özcan. 35. Schick (on the bench). 37th Yildiz. 49th Yüksek. 65th Günok. 66th Calhanoglu. 68th Cakir (on the bench). 81st Müldür. 85th Jaros (on the bench). 85th Cerv (on the bench). 85th Akaydin. 91st Krejci. 95th Ayhan. 95th Kökcü.

1. Portugal 3/6 (5:3). 2. Turkey 3/6 (5:5). 3. Georgia 3/4 (4:4). 4. Czech Republic 3/1 (3:5).

Czechia

Completed

1:2

(0:0)

Türkiye

Tomáš Soucek - 1:1 (66.)

(51.) 0:1 - Hakan Çalhanoglu
(90.+4.) 1:2 - Cenk Tosun

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90.+9.

End of 2nd half

90.+8.

Red card Czechia (direct)

Tomáš Chorý

90.+8.

Yellow card Türkiye

Arda Güler

90.+8.

Yellow card Czechia

Tomáš Soucek

90.+5.

Yellow card Türkiye

Kaan Ayhan

90.+5.

Yellow card Türkiye

Orkun Kökçü

90.+4.

Goal for Türkiye, 1:2 through Cenk Tosun (Orkun Kökçü)

Cenk Tosun

Striker

Assist: Orkun Kökçü

Midfielder

90.+2.

Yellow card Czechia

Ladislav Krejcí

87.

Substitution in Türkiye

Orkun Kökçü

Midfielder

87.

Substitution out Türkiye

Hakan Çalhanoglu

Midfielder

85.

Yellow card Türkiye

Samet Akaydin

85.

Yellow card Czechia

Lukas Cerv

84.

Yellow card Czechia

Vitezslav Jaros

81.

Substitution in Czechia

Matej Jurasek

Midfielder

81.

Substitution out Czechia

David Jurásek

Midfielder

80.

Yellow card Türkiye

Mert Müldür

76.

Substitution in Türkiye

Kerem Aktürkoglu

Midfielder

76.

Substitution out Türkiye

Kenan Yildiz

Midfielder

75.

Substitution in Türkiye

Cenk Tosun

Striker

75.

Substitution out Türkiye

Arda Güler

Midfielder

75.

Substitution in Czechia

Ondrej Lingr

Midfielder

75.

Substitution out Czechia

Lukáš Provod

Midfielder

68.

Yellow card Türkiye

Ugurcan Çakir

66.

Yellow card Türkiye

Hakan Çalhanoglu

66.

Goal for Czechia, 1:1 through Tomáš Soucek (Robin Hranác)

Tomáš Soucek

Midfielder

Assist: Robin Hranác

Defender

64.

Yellow card Türkiye

Mert Günok

63.

Substitution in Türkiye

Okay Yokuslu

Midfielder

63.

Substitution out Türkiye

Ismail Yüksek

Midfielder

55.

Substitution in Czechia

Jan Kuchta

Striker

55.

Substitution out Czechia