Home > Football > Revealed: The THREE greatest Euro Championship games - excluding Turkey v Croatia!
by 101greatgoals.com on 23 June 2008
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Fatih Terim's Turkey have taken Euro 2008 by storm, repeatedly coming back from the dead to now find themselves within touching distance of one of the greatest shocks in the history of the European Championships.
It is the manner of their victories which has been so breathtaking. Taking their place in the quarter-finals after their incredible 3-2 win over the Czech Republic, having trailed 2-0 with 15 minutes to go, nothing appeared capable of proving more dramatic. Yet on Friday night in Vienna that is exactly what happened.
Semih Senturk's 122nd minute equaliser, having fallen behind just 70 seconds earlier to Ivan Klasnic's header, ensures that Croatia v Turkey will live long in the memory. This match will no-doubt be categorisd alongside the following unforgettable European Championship matches:
1. Czech Republic 3 – Holland 2 (Euro 2004, 19 June, 2004)
The game had all the ingredients for a modern-day classic. The Dutch moved into a seemingly untouchable position within the opening 20 minutes, Arjen Robben's smooth free-kick found Wilfred Bouma ghosting in at the back-post to head into the far corner. And the lead was doubled after Robben played in a low cross to Ruud van Nistelrooy, who, unmarked in the six-yard box, tapped in a simple second.
But from that point on the game sped into overdrive. A calamitous mistake from Philip Cocu gifted possession to Milan Baros who slipped in Jan Koller for 2-1. Then, after the break, Baros scored one of the goals of his career, smashing a volley past Edwin van der Sar after Koller's neat control. And with two minutes the epic turnaround was completed, Heinz's rasping shot was parried by Van der Sar, and Vladimir Smicer was in the right place to sidefoot home.
The Czechs were delirious. Holland mortified.
2. France 3 – Portugal 2 (Euro 1984, 23 June 1984)
In the semi-finals, hosts France met Portugal in the cauldron of the Stade Velodrome, in what is still considered one of the greatest matches of all time.
Jean-Francois Domergue’s powerful first-half free-kick goal looked like taking Les Bleus to the final, but with just a few minutes remaining of regulation time Jordao's looping header brought Portugal level and sent the game into extra time. And the writing on the wall seemed evident when the Portuguese took the lead in extra-time after Jordao's mishit volley bounced over French goalkeeper Joel Bats to stun the home nation.
Cue the French fight-back. With seven minutes remaining in extra time Jean Tigana went on a solo run through midfield, the ball eventually fell to Domergue, who netted his second of the game to renew French hopes. Finally and inevitably, a late chance fell to the inspirational Michel Platini, who composed himself before dispatching a right-footed drive into the Portuguese net to send the Marseille crowd wild.
3. Spain 4 – Yugoslavia 3 (Euro 2000, 21 June, 2000)
Spain-Yugoslavia is arguably the greatest game of them all, as not only was there the crucial last-ditch winner, but the previous 89 minutes were also a little bit special, too.
It all began on the half-hour mark. The Yugoslavs opened after Savo Milosevic headed home the opener after a swift counter-attack. It only took Spain eight minutes to level, Alfonso scoring after the ball kindly fell in his path. 1-1 is how it stood at the break.
Comments (1)
by Chris Smith on June 24, 2008
Most Turkish players are muslims.There is a list of muslim players in European clubs on (((((++++++S e e k m u s l i m .c o m++++++))))), who claimed to be Muslims...Some of them are converts and some of them were born Muslims... You also can find their profiles on Seekmuslim.com........
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