Euro 08 Semi Finals: Germany vs Turkey

[Point forward]

The public viewing was easily the best ever. It was an ocean of Turkish crescent flags and German black-red-gold, but we proved that you can be proud of your flag without putting down the opponent. All the time, Turkish and Germans were standing together, singing their songs, smiling at each other and having the time of their lives. When we supported our nations, the "TUR-Ki-YE!!" and "DEUTSCH-LAND!!" chants even alternated! During the entire game, Turkish and German fans were shouting and screaming in a fired-up yet totally non-threatening atmo.

After the game, the best part came. Turkish and German fans went together onto the marketplace and celebrated together. Turks and Germans swapped flags, and people named Horst or Annette waved crescent flags while people named Ahmet and Dilara waved black-red-gold. All were celebrating together, congratulating each other, shaking hands and high-fiving. The police just stood around and were baffled that they were not needed at all.

It was a magical moment and one of the most beautiful moments ever in Turkish-German history. I think that tomorrow, a lot of people will wake up and realise that despite our differences, our people can perfectly coexist. As Rustu and Ballack said before the match, soccer is the natural enemy of racism. Soccer thrives on the utter belief that people can celebrate the game regardless of skin color, gender, religion or nationality. We showed it today, and I am very proud to have been part of this.

„My team mates and I want to make clear that we oppose any form of discrimination. We have seen in the last 3 weeks how soccer can bring together people and how we can live out our passion together, regardless of religion, nationality or skin color. Join the fight against racism.“

Now listening to my still existing Mustafa Sandal MP3s feels a lot better...

(The only losers of this game are the few right wing idiots from the Reps, the DVU or the NPD who think that Turks are an inherently violent and stupid people who need to be exiled from Germany. One tip: just go f--- yourself, you Neo Nazis.)

[Basti]

schllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaandd!!!!

damn what a game. my highest respect goes out to the turkish nt for making it as hard as it could be. with all the emotion and pressure on this game it was quite amazing that there was only 1 yellow card being shown to a player. this probably resembles the whole atmosphere here in Germany. I expected Berlin to be like hell (not only in a positive way) but on my way home I didn't see anyone making trouble and at the different stations it was so peaceful. awesome!

I say it again because it has to be said: the turskish national team deserves tons of respect. they actually were the better team but they didn't really have "it" to finish it.

and yeah it is ironic to be beaten in the same way you've made it so far...

[Basti]

The public viewing was easily the best ever. It was an ocean of Turkish crescent flags and German black-red-gold, but we proved that you can be proud of your flag without putting down the opponent. All the time, Turkish and Germans were standing together, singing their songs, smiling at each other and having the time of their lives. When we supported our nations, the "TUR-Ki-YE!!" and "DEUTSCH-LAND!!" chants even alternated! During the entire game, Turkish and German fans were shouting and screaming in a fired-up yet totally non-threatening atmo.

After the game, the best part came. Turkish and German fans went together onto the marketplace and celebrated together. Turks and Germans swapped flags, and people named Horst or Annette waved crescent flags while people named Ahmet and Dilara waved black-red-gold. All were celebrating together, congratulating each other, shaking hands and high-fiving. The police just stood around and were baffled that they were not needed at all.

It was a magical moment and one of the most beautiful moments ever in Turkish-German history. I think that tomorrow, a lot of people will wake up and realise that despite our differences, our people can perfectly coexist. As Rustu and Ballack said before the match, soccer is the natural enemy of racism. Soccer thrives on the utter belief that people can celebrate the game regardless of skin color, gender, religion or nationality. We showed it today, and I am very proud to have been part of this.

(The only losers of this game are the few right wing idiots from the Reps, the DVU or the NPD who think that Turks are an inherently violent and stupid people who need to be exiled from Germany. One tip: just go f--- yourself, you Neo Nazis.)

that certainly was a nice read.

btw: where ya from?

[Point forward]

I live in Frankfurt. I drink Appelwoi

[Sleepy]

I live in Frankfurt. I drink Appelwoi

Prost


Scha-la-la-la schalalala schlala lala Deutschland



Gib mir ein H
Hhhhh
Gib mir ein U
Uuuuu
Gib mir ein M
Mmmm
Gib mir ein B
Bbbbb
Gib mir ein A
Aaaaa

Wir singen Humba Humba Humba Täterää

[Captain_Obvious]

*rülps*

Turkey was better today, i admit that. But - again - Rüstü mad that one mistake too much

Im sure they told him that 1 million times, if you get out to intercept a cross, you have to be 100 % sure to get the ball first and against those specialists from Germany, you have to be 500% sure.

I didnt expect such a strong and DANGEROUS Turkish team. That was a great game and a great way to get eliminated from a tourney. (if thats possible)

Now get that 'ship Germany *rülps*

[magik9113]

game was crazy.

[BlackMamba]

wow, what a game. i had things to do so i just watched the 1st half live and just finished watching the rerun and i really enjoyed it.

i was rooting for the turks, they have shown us that you don't need to be the best team or the best player, you just have to play with your heart and give everything you can!!

turkey deserved more, they dominated 80-90% of the game but it was obvious that those 9 players missing could have changed the result. having players like tunkay, emre or nihat would have made a big difference. they had mistakes but i wouldn't point a finger to any player for the loss.

and what can you say about the germans? they are a machine, played the whole game the same way and got away with the result. lahm's goal was pretty good, the play, the pass and the shot, he completely mislead rustu.

it's a shame the turks just got this far, they deserved more.

[Slava]

Major Props to Turkey and they've showed great grit and determination in this tournament. Respect!

But if there was a game to pick out terrible goal keeping, this was it. Lehmann was terrible and Rustu was no better.

[ICMTM]

it's a shame the turks just got this far, they deserved more.

True, but a great team can play horrible and still win. I think the Turks outplayed Germany, but then again the Germans prevailed. Even following the game I got the feeling the Turks would lose eventually.

[El Turco]

Congratulations to Germany. It was a great game and at the end someone had to lose game and unfortunately it was us. I cant stop wandering what would ve happen if only we had our GK and/or couple of our defenders. But that cant be an excuse and shouldnt decimate the German success. Like our coach said, you cant be successful if you keep giving away stupid goals especially against one of the most disciplined football machines in the world.

Regardless, i am more than proud of this team. They gave us some of the most memorable moments in Turkish football history and perhaps the championship history. Even i wasnt expecting this type of performance in this game from them, and amount of respect we won around the world would make champions jealous. I never been congratulated this many times being the loser team, in a british pub nonetheless.

Good luck to Germany in the final, i ll be rooting for them.

[GS Warriors 1]

to Turkey.

[Kayariel]

that was a heartbreaker

[Basti]

Congratulations to Germany. It was a great game and at the end someone had to lose game and unfortunately it was us. I cant stop wandering what would ve happen if only we had our GK and/or couple of our defenders. But that cant be an excuse and shouldnt decimate the German success. Like our coach said, you cant be successful if you keep giving away stupid goals especially against one of the most disciplined football machines in the world.

Regardless, i am more than proud of this team. They gave us some of the most memorable moments in Turkish football history and perhaps the championship history. Even i wasnt expecting this type of performance in this game from them, and amount of respect we won around the world would make champions jealous. I never been congratulated this many times being the loser team, in a british pub nonetheless.

Good luck to Germany in the final, i ll be rooting for them.

you're currently in britain?

btw: a friend of mine was in brighton when germany faced austria. she had to listen to a lot of crap by the brits I don't think she did but I guess I would have had the balls to say that we at least made it to the EC unlike the brits

[Sleepy]

more than three paragraphs, but only three paragraphs per article, so I hope it's OK...

The international media on Thursday was torn whether to salute the famous German fighting spirit or rather lament the nation's proverbial luck at major football tournaments in the wake of the dramatic 3-2 semifinal win over Turkey at Euro 2008.

British paper The Sun even managed to squeeze it all into five words.

"How typically, horribly, wonderfully German," The Sun said after Philipp Lahm had rescued the Germans in the final minute of play after Turkey dominated most of the previous 89 minutes.
"Far from their best in fact, a pale shadow of the side that brushed aside Portugal they gave us a lesson in the most important quality. Winning when you are playing badly," said The Sun.
"The German record speaks for itself. Sunday in Vienna will be their ELEVENTH major final since 1966."

The Independent struck a similar line as the British papers - so often let down by the England team which even failed to qualify this time around - could not help themselves but to admire the Germans.

"How did Germany do it? The old, time-honoured tradition of holding their nerve when it mattered most, by taking their chances however few they were and never being inhibited by the greater flair and ambition of their opponents," said The Independent.
"They wear you down, they make you believe you have a chance and then, when you least expect it, they break your hearts. Typical Germany."

But there was far less admiration in Spain, whose team (or Russia) could be the opponent in Sunday's final.

"Germany's last breath knocks out Turkey. The team of coach (Joachim) Loew conceals its poor football with a lucky goal in the last minute," lamented Spain's El Pais.

La Vanguardia said that "Germany ownes the luck" and added: "The sentence from (former England striker) Gary Lineker is still valid that 11 play against 11 in football and the Germans win in the end."

AS named the German team "a machine without a soul" but Marca also conceded that the Turks had ultimately suffered the fate they had inflicted on the others in the previous three Euro games with their late goals.
"Turkey got to taste its own medicine," said the sports daily Marca.

In this area at least there was agreement with England, as the Sun noted that "THIS time it was Turkey who were out-Turkeyed."

In France, L'Equipe said: "Now Germany has its miracle as well. Germany was tormented by courageous Turks, who once again equalised late, before they struck ruthlessly through Lahm in the 90th minute."

For Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport, and many others as well, the final result was not a surprise - only the way it came.

"Germany in the final, Turkey beaten in the 90th minute - The result appeared fixed before the start, but the way it came was unbelievable. The team of (coach Fatih) Terim dominated the first half and was not beaten until a master piece from Lahm in the 90th minute," said La Gazzetta.

Praise was heaped on the injury- and suspension-plagued Turks even though the final outcome broke their hearts.
"They say that you never remember the beaten semi-finalists but then the beaten semi-finalists so rarely put up a fight like this and in such unpromising circumstances too," said The Independent, summing it up

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6 ... 653C522971

[wilt]

turkey deserved more, they dominated 80-90% of the game but it was obvious that those 9 players missing could have changed the result. having players like tunkay, emre or nihat would have made a big difference.

i strongly disagree. I play myself and was on both sides of that situation (and if you are an amteur, a local cup final feels as big as the Euro for pros) yesterday was a text-book example of a team playing with nothing to loose, those players missing (and the situation because of that) made everyone else play better than usual, they played to win and basically had a mindset of "to hell with it" that made them totally unafraid to win.
New Borussia Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp had a good statement : Turkey played to win, Germany (for most of the game) played afraid of loosing.
So imo a turkey squad at full strength yesterday in that one game would have faired worse than this group yesterday.
Then again, if i had to name 1 player that would have made a difference it would be the injured CB Servet and none of the players from offense.

[El Turco]

you're currently in britain?

nah, british pub in california. There isnt a big Turkish community around bay area so i am forced to watch the games with brits. And they dont really like us since the Leeds incident.

[El Turco]

So imo a turkey squad at full strength yesterday in that one game would have faired worse than this group yesterday.

that is ridiculous. Even when we had a full squad at the start of the tournament, Turkish NT had the same mentality of the underdog and players had something to prove. I guess you assume our right back chucking up shots with his weak foot instead of 20 goal scorer from La Liga helped us.

[kobe#8]

We The Great Turkish Nation are proud of them they did everything to win thanks for the memory's...

[Captain_Obvious]

So imo a turkey squad at full strength yesterday in that one game would have faired worse than this group yesterday.

that is ridiculous. Even when we had a full squad at the start of the tournament, Turkish NT had the same mentality of the underdog and players had something to prove. I guess you assume our right back chucking up shots with his weak foot instead of 20 goal scorer from La Liga helped us.

Read it again, that claim wasnt limited to the Turks. If the Turkish NT had played in full force the German NT would have a different gameplan and approach to the semis vs Turkey. Its a two way street.