EURO'2008 GAMES 17 & 18: GROUP A TURKEY 3 CZECH REPUBLIC 2, PORTUGAL 0 SWITZERLAND 2

The final games in each group are played simultaneously so with Portugal already through and Switzerland already out, their clash was relegated to ITV4.

Unsurprisingly in that encounter, Portugal rested 8 players but still looked the likelier to win until Swiss hero Hakin Yakin entered the scene with a double, one smart finish and a late penalty, to send the co-hosts home happy. The main entertainment on ITV1 however was more dramatic than any Sunday Night film and with a script that would have been rejkected as too far fetched.

The Czech Republic and Turkey knew it was a winner take all clash with victors in the quarter-finals and losers heading home. With identical records, a draw at 90 mionutes would have meant a unique penalty shoot-out to separate the sides.

The Czechs looked the better side for long periods, The Turks played a negative game suggesting they were happy to take the draw and the lottery until Lurch aka Jan Koller nutted home a trademark header from a cross in the first period. Turkey woke up after the interval but looked vulnerable on the counter-attack and were duly caught out with 25 minutes remaining as The Czechs doubled their lead through Plasil, Turkey furious as they were down to 10 men through an injury and unable to bring a sub on.

That should have been it but a turning point came when the Czechs hit a post to be denied a 3-0 lead and Turkey grabbed a lifeline through Turan with 15 to go.

Czech Republic seemed to be coping with few problems dealing with any late Turkey onslaught but then came the real drama. Peter Cech, who has looked dodgy throughout the finals, made perhaps the biggest gaffe of his career in dropping a routine corss onto the feet of grateful Turkish skipper Nihat to equalise with just 3 minutes left and a penalty shoot out looked odds on.

But more incredible late drama as Turkey swept forward, a Czech defender was too slow out and Nihat was played in onside to finish brilliantly in the final minute, his cross shot form the edge of the box crashing in off the bar.

Four minutes added time and even more amazing scenes as Turkey keeper Demirel was beaten to a late ball, a header just going wide but he pushed Koller in the chest and got red carded. With all subs used, Middlesbrough's Tuncay had to play the final 2 minutes but the ball was kept away from his goal. What an incredible turnaround.

Turkey, minus a couple of suspended players, have to face Croatia in the quarter-finals. The Czech Republic will probably spend the rest of june trying to figure out how it wasn't them instead but they only have themselves to blame for that.

EURO'2008 GAME 9: GROUP A - PORTUGAL 3 CZECH REPUBLIC 1

Portugal, just 4 days and 2 games into Euro'08, all bar confirmed themselves as first quarter-finalists with an excellent, if flattering win, over Petr Cech's Czechs.

The Czechs played far better than their opening game which they won. By dropping 6'7" veteran status Kohler (BBC pronounce him as Coller and ITV as Cola so take your pick!), they had more energy and pace going forward even if his replacement was Milan Baros - not good enough to play against Cardiff City in the F.A. Cup Final 3 weeks ago. What they didn't have , though, was the quality and flair of Ronaldo, Deco and co.

Slightly against the run of play Deco opening the scoring early - a scrappy goal set up at the second attempt after a scrappy Rnaldo run to make the chance - but the Czechs levelled it just past 15 minutes through a free low header at a corner by Sionko.

An excellent first half but the tempo dropped as there were suggestions of a stalemate until Deco made space and Ronaldo's early edge of area shot left Cech helpless.

The Czechs attacked hard but didn't have a finish to level it again and Portugal repeated their opening game scoreline with a 93rd minute quick Deco free-kickc sent Ronaldo clear and he squared the ball across Cech for Quaresma to tap into an empty net.

EURO'2008 GAME 1: GROUP A SWITZERLAND 0 CZECH REPUBUBLIC 1

The opening game and one of the joint host countries are looking at an early exit after an unlucky defeat in a half decent game but which emphasised bot nations are simply making up the numbers in this tournament.

Being in deepest Devon, I was exploring g Plymouth Hoe as the opening ceremony took place which seems to have been universally agreed as dreadful but how can any ever match Diana Ross’ penalty miss at World Cup USA’94.

I managed to miss most of the first half too but that didn’t matter much either as The Swiss were spirited but clueless although I did like their shirt numbers which were set in Lego brick font although Petr Cech the Czech was giving them a helping hand by being Enckleman-like and panic punching weakly at anything in his direction while John Motson did his best to ruin things with constant reminders that Ingerlund weren‘t there … one of the very reasons I could enjoy it!
The Czechs qualified from Wales’ group were exactly as I remembered them - limited with a simple plan of hitting balls in the general direction of 6’7” statue ands Uncle Fester lookielikie Jan Koller. The half ended with some drama as Swiss Captain and talisman Frei (pronounced Fry) got an injury to finish his tournament and (not spelt Crei)!

It was robbery but you always felt the Czechs would score if they somehow managed one shot while the Swiss wouldn’t if they pressured all day and Sverk nicked it with little over 10 minutes to go while the Swiss were denied a penalty, hit the bar when it was easier to hit the target The Swiss went home quietly, just as they were through the contest.