Turkey emerged from the thunderstorm in Basel victorious thanks to a dramatic injury-time winner from Arda Turan, but co-hosts Switzerland are left wondering would could have been after surrendering their half-time lead and slumping out of the competition after just two games.

Turkey boss Fatih Terim made a number of changes to his team following their opening day defeat to Portugal, switching to a 4-3-1-2 formation. Three of those changes were forced on him by injuries to Emre Belozoglu, Gokhan Zan and Colin Kazim-Richards, while Tumer Metin replaced Mevlut Erding to provide more support for strikers Nihat Kahveci and Tuncay Sunli.

Switzerland made changes of their own in attack following the tournament ending knee injury suffered by captain Alexander Frei during the Czech Republic loss. To compensate for that absence Coach Kobi Kuhn gave Hakan Yakin and Eren Derdiyok the nod up front, dropping Marco Streller.

A furiously fast paced start to the match saw both teams surging forward, but neither side could find the space in the final third to carve out a clear-cut chance in the early stages. Hakan Balta had to briefly step off the field after just 10 minutes after a clash of heads left him with a nasty cut to the side of the head, but he was soon back on without any lasting signs of injury.

The game slowed after the frantic start as the weather started to deteriorate, with heavy rain and a strong wind hindering play. As the conditions continued to worsen the game started to become scrappy and the fouls increased.

Tuncay tried to worm his way through the Swiss defence, but couldn’t find room to turn and Philippe Senderos eventually slid the ball clear. Arda Turan’s cross caused problems in the Switzerland penalty area, but the ball was scrambled clear and Yakin’s low drive on the counter-attack forced a good save from Volkan Demirel low at the near post.

Volkan was soon called into action again as Switzerland were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position. Tranquillo Barnetta’s low effort had the Turkish ‘keeper at full stretch to steer it round his left-hand post with a fingertip save.

Udinese midfielder Gokhan Inler was penalised for blocking Tuncay right on the edge of the Swiss penalty area following a purposeful run by the Middlesbrough forward. Goalkeeper Diego Benaglio failed to deal with the resulting free-kick and Arda’s header skimmed the wrong side of the post.

As the first half-an-hour drew to a close the conditions were approaching unplayable as an increasingly waterlogged pitch slowed down the ball. Switzerland found the breakthrough tough after Derdiyok broke the offside trap and rounded Volkan before squaring the ball across the goal-line for Yakin to tap into the open net, although ball stopped in a goalmouth puddle and nearly didn’t reach the FC Basel star at the back post.

Yakin missed an almost identical chance just three minutes later when a Valon Behrami cross found it’s way all the way through to him at the back post, but this time he inexplicably knocked the ball wide from inside the six-yard box. Turkey tried to push back and Gokdeniz Karadeniz got on to the end of a great high ball from Arda, but couldn’t bring it under control and Ludovic Magnin cleared the threat.

Amazingly the torrential downpour came to a sudden end during the half-time break and the stadium staff in Basel frantically tried to clear the standing water from the pitch. However, UEFA made an announcement that if the weather got any worse in the second 45 minutes then the match would be abandoned and replayed the next day.

With his team struggling to combat the difficult conditions, Turkish Coach Terim made the brave decision to use two of his available substitutes at the break, with Semih Senturk and Mehmet Topal replacing Gokdeniz and Tumer Metin.

They threatened straight away with an Arda free-kick whipped towards the penalty spot, but Hakan was booked for knocking the ball on with his hand. Turkey were pushing men forward in search of the equaliser they desperately needed and Semih thought he had found it as he rolled the ball past Benaglio, but the whistle had already gone for offside.

Five minutes later he was celebrating, though. Nihat curled a deep cross towards the penalty spot and Semih drifted round the back of Magnin and Senderos to power the header through the hands of Benaglio in the Swiss goal. The co-hosts tried to hit straight back, but Hakan made an excellent last-ditch challenge to toe the loose ball out of Yakin’s path.

The game closed down as the midfield battle got into full stride, but Johan Vonlanthen nearly made an immediate impact after coming on as a substitute, but Servet Cetin stepped in to halt his mazy run at the last moment. Turkey responded as Tuncay was released, but his angled cross-cum-short was just too far ahead of Nihat sliding in at the back post.

The pressure was mounting as the game entered the last 10 minutes, with both sides looking nervous as they pushed for the winner knowing that conceding a goal at the other end would all but guarantee their elimination from the tournament.

Switzerland nearly found the breakthrough on the break when Inler slide the ball through for Vonlanthen, who laid the ball off for Yakin to strike but his low effort was too close to Volkan to find the back of the net. They were given another chance from a free-kick after Inler was tripped by Semih on the edge of the Turkish penalty area, but Magnin’s shot was deflected wide by the wall.

The end of the game was delayed by a cut to the head of Turkey defender Emre Asik as the fourth official displayed the four minutes of added time to a huge roar from the crowd. But two minutes after the end of 90 minutes Arda delivered the knockout blow to Switzerland. He cut inside from the left wing and his shot was deflected off Patrick Muller to loop over the helpless Benaglio and into the net.

There was no time left for the Swiss to hit back, meaning the co-hosts are the first team to be eliminated from the tournament, while all now rests on Turkey’s match against the Czech Republic on Sunday. This result also hands Portugal the mathematical victory in Group A and a place in the quarter-finals.
Swizerland: Benaglio; Lichtsteiner, Mueller, Senderos, Magnin; Barnetta (Vonlanthen 66), Inler, Fernandes (Cabana 76), Behrami; Hakan Yakin (Gygax 85), Derdiyok

Turkey: Volkan; Altintop, Servet Cetin, Hakan Balta; Emre Asik, Arda, Tumer Metin (Mehmet Topal 46), Gokdeniz Karadeniz (Semih Santurk 46), Mehmet Aurelio; Tuncay Sanli, Nihat (Kazim-Richards 85)

Ref: Michel (Svk)

Ref From channel4.com

Portugal took the advantage in Group A with a 3-1 win over the Czech Republic. An end-to-end game saw them take the lead twice through Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo, but Inter target Ricardo Quaresma confirmed a vital victory and they move three-points clear at the top of the table. They now await the result of Switzerland’s encounter with Turkey knowing a draw would see them become the first side to secure their place in the quarter-finals.

Portugal started this game at the top of Group A on goal difference after both they and the Czech Republic picked up three points in their opening fixture. But while Portugal Coach Felipe Scolari was happy to keep the same starting XI, Karel Bruckner introduced Marek Matejovsky and Milan Baros at the expense of David Jarolim and Jan Koller to try and add more pace and creativity in attack.

A lively start saw both teams pushing forward, with Libor Sionko and Cristiano Ronaldo both having efforts charged down on the edge of the penalty area in quick succession.

It took just eight minutes for Portugal to open the scoring, though. A close one-two between Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco set the former through the Czech defence with Petr Cech charging out of his goal to smother the chance. The ball squirmed loose though and Deco scrambled home, ricocheting through the legs of Marek Jankulovski who was trying to cover the goal line.

The Bohemians tried to hit back straight away as a clever quick free-kick sent Jankulovski into the area on the right, but he sliced his shot wide on his weaker foot under pressure from Paulo Ferreira. Portugal continued to look the most dangerous though, as the Czech Republic’s attack-minded full-backs struggled to deal with their opponents’ quick breaks in wide positions.

The chances continued to come for both sides, with Petit failing to trouble Cech with a tame long-ranger and Baros heading over from a looping Zdenek Grygera cross.

But it was Sionko who found the equaliser for the Czech Republic in the 17th minute after earning a corner himself with some excellent work on the right wing. As Jaroslav Plasil drilled the resulting set-piece towards the penalty spot, the FC Copenhagen winger flicked the ball into the net with a brave diving header.

Jan Polak picked up the first booking of the game after 23 minutes, when he was penalised for a strong sliding challenge on Pepe. Portugal showed their speed on the break by striding straight up the pitch, with Deco fizzing a powerful shot just past the far post following a diagonal run from the left wing. It was clear that Scolari had instructed his players to shoot on sight as Cristiano Ronaldo forced a comfortable save from Cech with a similar effort soon after.

Sionko again came close from a corner, this time from the left-hand side. Ricardo came for the cross but couldn’t reach the ball, but luckily for the Portuguese goalkeeper, Sionko couldn’t find a teammate with his cutback from the back post and Pepe scrambled clear. However, Portugal were clearly having problems defending the Czech set-pieces.

Scolari’s team finished the half strongest and a succession of corners perhaps should have given them back their advantage, but Ricardo Carvalho’s heavy touch wasted his chance after a deflected Deco cross had found its way all the way through to the Chelsea defender at the far post. Almost immediately Cech was called into action to parry a powerful long-range drive from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo brought the half to the end with a trademark free-kick, but Cech anticipated well to gather the ball at his near post as Greek referee Kyros Vassaras blew his whistle for half-time after a relentless first period.

Paulo Ferreira came out for the second half with a bandage above his left eye after suffering a nasty cut in a clash of heads in the first 45 minutes. He continued to struggle to contain Sionko on the wing, and the Czech player broke into the penalty area but Baros couldn’t get on the end of his slid pass across the six-yard box.

Some quick close passing on the edge of the Czech penalty area saw Nuno Gomes scramble his way free for a shot, but he couldn’t get the ball out of his feet and the tame shot was easy for Cech to catch. The former Fiorentina striker seemed determined after the break and he caught David Rozehnal, who hesitated on the ball at the back, and forced a corner as he attempted to power in high at the near post.

Cech was certainly the busier of the goalkeepers in the opening 15 minutes of the second half, stopping a Simao snapshot with an outstretched leg, before gathering a miss-hit Cristiano Ronaldo volley from the edge of the area.

But Portugal were nearly made to pay for their vulnerability on set-pieces again, as Tomas Ujfalusi flicked on another Plasil corner and Baros came agonisingly close to tapping in at the far post. The Czechs found themselves behind almost immediately in the 63rd minute though, as the referee played the advantage in favour of Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo drilled Deco’s squared pass home with a low shot that left Cech helpless.

The Czech Republic tried to hit back straight away from a crossed free-kick, but Ferreira blocked Grygera’s acrobatic half-volley at close range after Ricardo had failed to deal with the initial ball into the box.

Bruckner decided to change things around with a substitution as the Bohemians chased their second equaliser of the game. Midfielder Matejovsky made way with Anderlecht striker Stanislav Vlcek coming on to add support for lone-forward Baros, who has looked isolated around the Portuguese penalty area.

The Czech Republic introduced their third striker just five minutes later, when holding midfielder Tomas Galasek made way for Koller as Bruckner rolled the dice and shifted to an attacking 4-3-3 formation. His opposite number Scolari responded immediately by bringing on another centre-back in the form of Fernando Meira to deal with the added aerial threat of Koller, taking the place of midfielder Joao Moutinho.

The substitutions continued, with Portugal skipper Nuno Gomes making way for Hugo Almeida as Cristiano Ronaldo took the captain’s armband and Ricardo Quaresma replaced Simao on the wing.

Sionko came close to hitting another equaliser with seven minutes remaining, but Ricardo was equal to his header from the penalty spot and tipped the ball over the crossbar. Koller nearly got lucky when Ricardo and Pepe came close to getting in each other’s way, but the Sporting goalkeeper judged the bounce well.

Portugal continued to live dangerously, especially with high balls into their penalty area and Ricardo flapped again but Polak was unable to find room for the shot. The Czechs were hit on the counter though as Cristiano Ronaldo was set free behind the opposition’s back line before squaring the ball for substitute Quaresma to tap in and secure a potentially decisive win.
Czech Republic: Cech; Grygera, Ujfalusi, Rozehnal, Jankulovski; Polak; Matejovsky (Vlcek 68), Galasek (Koller 73), Sionko, Baros; Plasil (Jarolim 85)

Portugal: Ricardo; Bosingwa, Pepe, Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira; Petit, Moutinho (Fernando Meira 75); Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco, Simao (Quaresma 80); Nuno Gomes (Hugo Almeida 79)

Ref: Vassaras (Gre)

Ref From channel4.com

Having been written off as the worst hosts in history before the tournament began, Austria go into their match against Poland in a confident mood despite losing 1-0 to Croatia in their opener.

They were supposed to be demolished, wiped out by a Croat side that has been mythologised by pundits everywhere after their qualification at England’s expense, but Austria surprised their critics with a competent performance on Sunday.

Josef Hickersberger’s team out-passed and out-shot Slaven Bilic’s checker-clad charges and deserved to get a result from their opening encounter. Luka Modric’s fourth-minute penalty was the only shot registered on the Austrian goal all afternoon, illustrating how capable Hickersberger’s men are defensively.
The co-hosts, however, were lucky to finish the match with 11 players after Emanuel Pogatetz repeatedly fell on his opponents like an avalanche. The Middlesbrough defender picked up an injury for his troubles, bruising his left foot, but should be available for tonight’s game, as will striker Roland Linz who has recovered from a ligament problem.

Linz may start from the bench though after Hickersberger intimated he wants to change the team’s formation ahead of the Poles’ visit to Vienna. The 58-year-old Coach is expected to move away from 4-4-2, which he has deployed throughout his tenure, and line up his side in a 4-5-1 formation. Such a change would substantiate the Austrians in midfield and give them the flexibility to switch to 4-3-3 when in attacking situations.

That system is viable given the quality and pace of Austria’s wide players, Martin Stranzl and Jürgen Säumel, who showed real promise down the flanks on Sunday. It would also give Hickersberger the opportunity to use 22-year-old Ümit Korkmaz, the Eintracht Frankfurt fantasista, who added spice in the final third on entering as a second half substitute.

Poland were shown up at the back against Germany. The Orly defended far too high up the pitch, allowing the Mannschaft to get behind them all too easily. The speed and mobility of Austria, whose central midfielders Joachim Standfest and Rene Aufhauser covered 22km between them on Sunday, will preoccupy the Poles who were overrun in the middle by the Germans.

Coach Leo Beenhakker is likely to be without target man and former Celtic favourite Marek Zurawski, after the 31-year-old suffered a thigh strain. He will be replaced by another Marek, Southampton forward Saganowski, who will either play along side qualifying top scorer Ebi Smolarek or behind him as a link between attack and midfield.

Matches between these two nations are rarely a dull affair, their previous seven meetings have produced 33 goals.

Key clash: Emanuel Pogatetz v Euzebiusz Smolarek
Named after Portuguese legend Eusebio, the son of a former Polish international, Smolarek, who tested positive for cannabis in 2002 after nibbling on a space cake, is the only player capable of launching Leo Beenhakker’s men towards the final frontiers of this summer’s European Championship. The 27-year-old scored more goals in qualifying than any other player in Austria and Switzerland, and will test the clumsy Pogatetz to the full.

Ref From channel4.com