In a dramatic encounter at Euro 2024, Turkey clinched a spot in the knockout stage with a 2-1 victory against a resilient but ultimately defeated Czech Republic. The tension-filled match, played in Hamburg, saw Cenk Tosun emerge as the hero with a late goal that sparked jubilant celebrations and sealed Turkey’s progression in the tournament.
The game was anything but straightforward for Turkey. The Czech Republic, despite being reduced to 10 men early in the match, proved to be a formidable opponent. However, Tosun’s decisive strike in stoppage time ensured Turkey’s advancement and shattered Czech hopes of progressing in Euro 2024. “This is just the start,” an elated Tosun stated after the match, highlighting the significance of his goal and Turkey’s ambition in the tournament.
The final whistle ignited passionate celebrations among Turkish fans at Volksparkstadion. However, the intensity of the moment spilled over, resulting in a minor fracas between players and substitutes. This post-goal skirmish led to further disciplinary action, with Czech forward Tomas Chory receiving a red card, adding to the already eventful night. Czech captain Tomas Soucek and Turkey’s Arda Guler were also shown yellow cards in the aftermath.
Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs had a demanding evening, marked by contentious decisions. The game’s complexion drastically changed in the 20th minute when Czech midfielder Antonin Barak was sent off. Barak’s first yellow card came for a tactical foul in the 11th minute, followed swiftly by a second for stamping on Salih Ozcan’s foot, leaving his team to play the majority of the match with a numerical disadvantage. Czech coach Ivan Hasek acknowledged Barak’s disappointment, noting, “He was sad, with his head in his hands. He really punished himself by beating himself up about it.” In total, referee Kovacs brandished an astonishing 18 yellow cards throughout the match, reflecting the fierce competitiveness and at times, ill-discipline, on display.
Despite being a man down, the Czech Republic defended valiantly. However, the dismissal of Barak emboldened Turkey to launch relentless attacks. The Czech defense struggled to contain the dynamic Turkish forward line, particularly the creative trio of Kenan Yildiz, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Arda Guler, who constantly threatened to unlock the Czech backline.
The Czech Republic’s attacking capabilities were hampered by the absence of their key striker, Patrik Schick, who was sidelined due to a calf injury. Schick, despite being unavailable to play, received a yellow card himself for protesting from the bench, a frustrating footnote to his curtailed Euro 2024 campaign.
Adding to the game’s drama, Turkey’s Yildiz received a yellow card for a stamp on Robin Hranac in the 37th minute. He was fortunate to avoid a second yellow after an elbow on Vladimir Coufal went unnoticed by the referee, a moment of reprieve for the young Turkish player.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 51st minute by Turkey’s captain, Hakan Calhanoglu. Following a brilliant initial save from Czech goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek to deny Mert Muldur, Calhanoglu seized the opportunity, firing a powerful low shot into the far corner of the net. Unfortunately for the Czechs, goalkeeper Stanek sustained an apparent shoulder injury during his impressive save and had to be replaced by Matej Kovar.
The Czech Republic demonstrated their fighting spirit and equalized in the 66th minute through Tomas Soucek. A goalmouth scramble ensued after a Czech attack, and despite an initial clearance off the line, Soucek was on hand to convert amidst the chaos. A VAR check confirmed that Czech Republic’s goal was valid, with no foul play on Turkish goalkeeper Mert Gunok.
With the score tied at 1-1, the Czech Republic desperately needed another goal to advance in Euro 2024. However, it was Turkey who delivered the decisive blow. Cenk Tosun’s stunning late goal extinguished Czech hopes and propelled Turkey into the knockout stages.
Reflecting on the defeat, Tomas Soucek expressed his disappointment, telling Czech public broadcaster, “It’s disappointment. We all wanted to advance. We had a goal to beat them from the start but we didn’t make it, that’s disappointing.” Soucek acknowledged the difficulty of playing with ten men, stating it was “very tough” and lamented the goals conceded. Despite the setback, he praised his teammates’ efforts: “We all did the maximum. I have to thank all my teammates. It’s just a sad end.”
The Czech Republic concluded their Euro 2024 campaign at the bottom of Group F. In a parallel shock result in the group, Georgia stunned Portugal with a 2-0 victory, progressing as one of the best third-placed teams. Meanwhile, Turkey finished as Group F runners-up with six points and is set to face Austria in the round of 16 in Leipzig on Tuesday, promising another exciting chapter in their Euro 2024 journey.
Source: AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024
