Euro 2008 Report: Turkey 3-2 Czech Republic

So some people said that Euro 2008 would be boring without England...I think we can safely put that myth to bed now can't we?

With twenty minutes to go in last night's Czech Republic v Turkey encounter it was all over. The Czech's were going through and the Turks were going to blame the referee for not allowing them to bring on a substitute to replace the injured Emre Gungor. The stories had been written and everyone was ready to pack up and go on to tonight's Group B games when suddenly Turkey decided that it wasn't all over, not by a long shot.

Wardy grabbed a goal back and it was the proverbial game on scenario. The Turks went for it like their lives depended on it. They came forward in waves, six, seven, eight people at a time. It was all hands to the pump, a proper cup tie. They missed chances, great chances, time was ebbing away and then came the howler of all howlers.

A long high lofted cross came into the area which was Petr Cech's all day long. However the Chelsea keeper and the man widely regarded as the best in the world dropped the ball right at the feet of Turkish forward Nihat. He rolled it into the unguarded net and the Czech's had sensationally thrown away a two goal lead.

The Turks though didn't go over the top with the celebrations though, even with just three minutes left they thought they could win it and grabbed the ball and ran back to the centre circle. They would win it when Nihat was put through and fired a shot in off the underside of the bar. Cue pandemonium and a comeback for the ages.

The Turkish keeper still managed to get himself sent off in a frantic last few moments as the Czech's really should've levelled it up. It was football at its very best and as Jon Champion said on the broadcast, 'If a spaceship came direct from Mars and landed on the centre circle then it wouldn't surprise me' - sums it up perfectly.