Turkey were the more dominant team throughout the whole game as they secure third place in Group D with their first win of Euro 2016 as they won 2-0. The result also ended the Czech Republic's tournament.

Going into the game three points for the Czech Republic would secure their place in the final 16 with four points. However frustration overtook the Czechs as they made threatening attacks but poor delivery into the box let them down. They left Turkey space to exploit on the counter as Turkey continued to push for goals throughout the game as their goal difference would be key in their survival within the competition.

The Crescent-Stars must now wait for their future to be decided as they await other results hoping another third placed team has a worst goal difference than them.

In the First Half..

Turkey got to the perfect start as they opened the scoring before the ten-minute mark. Arda Turan won the ball in the midfield before setting up Emre Mor on the right. Mor who found himself in a lot of space picked out Burak Yilmaz on the near post who, half-volleyed the ball into the back of the net. The goal was Turkey’s first of the tournament.

The Czech Republic then fought back as a header from Tomas Sivok, who was surrounded by Turkish players on the back post, rattled the post before the Crescent-Stars quickly cleared the rebound.

Turkey then won a free kick from 25 yards out as a fluid movement from the Crescent-Stars was stopped abruptly as Mor had his legs removed from under him. Selcuk Inan, who’s late free kick secure qualification to the tournament against Iceland, this time wasn’t as lucky as his free-kick hits the wall.

The Czech Republic continued to add pressure to a weak Turkish defence as Pavel Kaderabek’s run from a right back position had a clear sight at goal. But Volkan Babacan’s positioning is good as the ball was deflected wide.

The Czech Republic again failed to deal with the fluidity shown by the Turkish front four as a one two was finished as Volkan Sen’s 20-yard shoot flew inches wide. Turkey have continued to hit the Czech Republic with quick counter attacks as they have left space for Turkey to exploit. Even so the Czech Republic have been the slightly more dominant team.

Ismal Koybasi earned the first yellow card of the night as an elbow to Kaderabek left him on the floor with a bloody lip. The resulting free kick was taken short but the cross was closed down and blocked straight away.

Jaroslav Plasil then bashed the ball goalwards from 25 yards out but Babacan convincingly pushed the ball out of play.

Turkey's first goal (source: guardian)

In the second half..

At the beginning of the second half, Turkey looked promising as within minutes they had launched another counter attack which was stopped as Yilmaz timed his run poorly and was caught offside.

A clash of heads during a Czech free-kick left David Pavelka, Sivok and Gokhan Gonul on the floor with the latter left worse off as he was left with blood dripping down his face after being caught on the eyebrow. 

Turkey then caught the Czech Republic on the counter again as Mor picked up the ball on the right having controlled a long pass and ran at the Czech Republic's two-man defence before this left-footed shot flew over the bar.

Babacan was called into action again by Vladmir Darida’s low drive from the edge of the area before another shot a few minutes later forced another save. Turkey also made their first change of the game on the hour mark as Volkan Sen was replaced by Oguzhan Ozyakup.

A strange decision from the referee, lead to Turkey’s second goal. Turkey again went hunting for goals but again were met by the flag. Arda Turan was played in as he ran down the left flank but the whistle was blown and the ball was brought back for a Turkey free-kick. However the free-kick lead to Turkey’s second goal as a fine delivery found Mehmet Topal with his back to gaol. Unable to shoot he lays off to Ozan Tufan, who wraps his foot around the ball and sends it between Petr Cech and the near post into the top corner.

Turkey continued to grow into the game and look like the more likely scorers as they then countered again with 15 minutes left of play. Gonul’s cross from the right found captain Turan who hit it over the bar.

The Czechs then won corner as a low hard cross from the right skimmed across the penalty area and wide after a small deflection. The subsequent corner was headed wide.

With ten minutes to go the Czech Republic were still looking for a goal as Darida’s forceful shot was met by Babacan after it flicked off a defenders book. Within minutes the Turks missed a good opportunity at the opposite end of the pitch. After a number of blocked and missed shots inside the penalty area good footwork from Olcay Sahan allowed him to shoot from a tight angle from the right hand side, however the ball curve wide. 

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