That's not yodelling you cow bells you can hear in the Swiss Alps tonight, it's howls of despair as one of the co-hosts are out just 5 days and 2 games into the Finals in a game both sides needed to win but Turkey deserved to scrape home in dramatic style with an injury time winner.
This was one of the best contests so far but possibly watched by the lowest UK audience as Beeb pushed in onto BBC2 so the rest of the nation could watch the Final of The Apprentice.
For the first 20 minutes, even those more interested in the final were probably preparing to switch channels as it was tepid but then the fun and frolics started as someone decided to mix football with Jeux Sans Frontieres and introduce water. The most amazing monsoon style run lashed down for 20 minutes leaving puddles all over the palce, defenders sliding in, the ball stopping dead with nobody able to run with it and general hilarity - if only we had Stuart Hall to commentate!
It was getting close to the stage where it was getting dangerous and unplayable, it possibly had reached that, when the Swiss scored as the pitch suited their direct style. A long ball sent wide by Sendero, it stopped in a puddle to hold up nicely for the winger, he came in and sent a ball across the face of goal which saw Turks trying to run oun when players were yards offside and then, brilliant comedy. as the ball stopped still in a puddle in front of goal for Hakan to tap in from 3 feet and even then he scuffed it.
The Swiss should have made it two as Hakan missed a sitter in similar style but this time, the cross missed the puddle and zipped off the surface and arrived to quick so he put it wide of the gaping goal. The Turks were trying to play a passing game while the Swiss, attacking the shllow end!, found conditions perfect. The Turks did hit the post via their impressive striker, Arda, who needed to try, well, Arda!
Then the rain stopped, half-time must have saw a few frogmen, the local swimming group and some immense work taking place as the sides returned wih the pitch much improved and suddenly Turkey were able to pass.
They equalised on 58 minutes, simple header which the keeper perhaps should have saved and then it ebbed and flowed. The Swiss almost nicked it 5 minutes from time but then The Turks senstaionally knocked them out after playing left all 2nd half, then finally broke right, Arda ran 35 yards, the defender crucially invited him inside and he shot, caught a defender and looped over a helpless keeper.
The Swiss sloped home ... to the slopes ... time to get back to winter sports!
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