Euro 2008 Diary [day17]

Germany 3-2 Turkey

With Turkey laden with injury and suspension the BBC's panel have opted for Germany en masse in this first semi final. Before the football though both team captains take the microphone to read a message about racism to their respective supporters, and we can only be thankful that England haven't reached this stage given the articulation of their captaincy candidates. With little action in the first five minutes John Motson embarks on a one man statisticathon. Mehmet Topal is probably the tallest play for Turkey... Hakan Balta was born in Berlin... Hamit Altintop was born in Gelsenkirchen... Joachim Low managed two clubs in Turkey... and probably has more than one white shirt.

Despite all their pre-match setbacks Turkey take control of the first half and are unlucky not to score when Colin Kazim-Richards whacks a shot against Jens Lehman's crossbar. Within minutes Kazim-Richards strikes the bar again as he meets Sabri Sarioglu's low cross and directs a looping effort over Lehman, however this time it falls to Ugur Borul and he pokes it beneath Lehman for the opening goal. Turkey have only led for three minutes so far in this tournament and that figure is only extended by four here as Lukas Podolski gets down the left and his low cross is turned in by Bastian Schweinsteiger for an arguably undeserved equaliser. Turkey continue to threaten, and a free-kick from Borul is beaten out by Lehman "The wall isn't very good," comments Mark Lawrenson, "You'd expect more efficient organisation from Germany" suggests Motson, embracing a lazy stereotype as if it were a long lost family member.

Lawrenson appears to be using this tournament to cement his own catchphrase and continues to use the phrase 'by the way' at every opportunity. He does so most unnecessarily when Philipp Lahm is flattened on the edge of the Turkish box and the referee decides to give nothing; "How is that not a penalty by the way?" This is the last action the world sees for a while with a huge thunderstorm in Vienna the apparent reason for a loss of feed, however the BBC overt a crisis by quickly switching to the Radio Five Live commentary. The thought of Andy Townsend desperately padding had ITV had the rights to this match is enough to give you nightmares.

Towards the end of one of these blackouts Germany take the lead, and pictures re-appear just in time to see a replay of Miroslav Klose heading home from a cross that Rustu Recbar, the Turkish keeper, mistakenly tried to intercept. With time running out Germany look to have secured an unlikely victory only for Turkey to do what they do best and score a late goal. Sabri leaves Lahm for dead with a neat turn and his low cross is flicked in at the near post by Semih Senturk.

However, after delivering a succession of sucker punches Popeye would be proud of throughout the tournament Turkey receive one of their own in the final minute. Lahm breaks down the left and exchanges passes with Thomas Hitzelsperger before placing a fine finish into the top corner to win it for Germany. Down on the touchline "Fatih Terim is making all the hand gestures in the world" according to Lawrenson, but sadly this entertaining spectacle isn't picked up by the cameras and Turkey are undeservedly out.