BASEL, Switzerland (AFP) - Defender Philipp Lahm's late strike put three-times European champions Germany in Sunday's Euro 2008 final and sealed a 3-2 win to knock out injury-ravaged Turkey on Wednesday night.
Lahm's 90th minute goal made sure Vienna will be Germany's final destination after Turkey's Semih Senturk had forced an equaliser just four minutes from time to make it 2-2 to set up another dramatic finish.
Germany striker Miroslav Klose had nudged his side into the lead on 79 minutes after Bastian Schweinsteiger's first-half goal had cancelled out Ugur Boral's early strike as Turkey had taken a shock lead.
This was Germany's first win over Turkey since May 1992 and Fatih Terim's battered side used their never-say-die spirit forced the Germans to work hard.
Having reached Basel's St Jakob-Park semi-final by forging a reputation as the tournament's come-back kings with last-gasp wins over Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Croatia, Turkey threatened Germany with the same treatment.
Coach Fatih Terim had said he wanted to put his team on the map and their battling spirit has reminded the footballing world again what Turkey can do having reached the 2002 World Cup semi-final.
Turkey were without the banned quartet of keeper Volkan Demirel, Middlesbrough's Tuncay Sanli, Arda Turan who scored their last gasp winner against the Swiss, and Emre Asik.
And captain Nihat Kahveci, whose pair of late goals sank the Czech Republic, was missing with a thigh injury.
In contrast, Germany had all 23-men fit and ready to go having responded to their shock 2-1 defeat by Croatia in the group stages by knocking-out much-fancied Portugal with an impressive 3-2 defeat here last Thursday.
Germany coach Joachim Loew played the same line-up and 4-5-1 formation he had used against Portugal for the semi-final, but it was the Turks who dominated the first-half chances with Kazim Kazim driving a shot against the bar on 14 minutes.
And Turkey took a deserved lead when Kazim again hit the cross-bar before Fenerbahce's Ugur Boral fired at Jens Lehmann who watched helplessly as the ball trickled over the line on 22 minutes.
Germany's reply was immediate as attacking midfielder Lukas Podolski slid in a cross which Portugal's tormentor Bastian Schweinsteiger flicked into the net on 26 minutes for his second goal in two games.
Lehmann was in action again as he punched clear Hamit Altintop's free-kick just after the half-hour mark one of nine first-half chances Turkey created compared to Germany's one.
At the break Simon Rolfes made way for Torsten Frings in Germany's midfield and match-winner Lahm was unlucky not to have won a penalty when he was brought down on the edge of the area by Sabri Sarioglu on 52 minutes.
In a much-tighter second half, Turkey kept the pressure on with Altintop bossing the midfield against his Bayern Munich colleagues in Germany's ranks.
But the break through came in the 79th minute when Bayern striker Klose rose above three Turkish defenders and goalkeeper Recber Rustu to score his second goal in two games.
Turkey pulled a late goal out of the bag for the fourth time in succession when Semih slipped marker Per Mertesacker to stab home Sabri Sarioglu's cross on 86 minutes to equalise.
But Lahm put German fans in seventh heaven with his 90th minute strike to send his side to Vienna.
Comment 1 - 4 of 4
as a half-german/half-portuguese i'm happy that germany could reach the final yet once more! nevertheless, and to be quiet honest, turkey played tonight the best football so it doesnīt give me the same pleasure it would have given if we'd outplayed them! I have to compliment turkey not only for the great game provided, but also for the resillience they demonstrated the whole tournament! terim is also a huge coach! he really seems to have that so called 'german winning mentality'.. So it's only fair to congratulate the turkish side with the promise that their football is growing (as they already demonstrated in 2002). As for germany i hope they show again another face in the final like they did against poland and portugal.. But it is clear that the team lacks in many aspects. The defence metzelder/mertesacker is simply terrible! Lahm - SO SMALL AND YET SO BIG!!! (if germany wins the euro he could well turn out to be the best player!) Ballack seems to alternate between good and bad displays.. podolski and schweinsteiger are simply the best! good and regular performances! they are the engine of this not so well tuned machine and both of them should play next season in the premiership or spain/italy! they should make the move it would help the german team too! klose hasnīt been much in focus either but i'm guessing it has to do with the system that simply seems to get stucked somewhere in the centrefield sometimes. If i were Low I'd change the tactics in the final trying to surprise the opponent with speed even if it is risky - they have to show some good football. the potential is there and we'll definitely see a stronger germany in the world cup 2010!
Brilliant Germans???? Whoever meets Germany in the final will win!!! Russia and Spain have a midfield that will take the Germans apart. Turkey had a very weak team against Germany and should have beaten them well. The best team lost. If that's how Germany will play in the final then they will lose and that will be for the best because as every neutral fan knows, Germany don't deserve this final. At best they are a club side.
All the congratulations go to Turkey for making this the best game of the tournament. They have thrilled both their own fans and us neutrals. For their courage and their attacking play they should be celebrated. Their skill level was superb. Every Turk should be proud of their team tonight.
very simple desicions of the referee which encourage one side, and hesitate the other.. cheap yellow cards in previous games.. football is never football at the end..
congratulate to turkish, proud of you guys.. in any means, you're the winner of the night..
Congratulations Germany! :)
Well done to the German team for reaching the finals, good luck in the final.
And to my team the Turkish team, as a Turk I want to say that I am proud of each and everyone of you all, great effort by everyone, we love you all. :)
And to fellow Turks please ignore those who try to stir everyone up with insultive/racist/hate messages.
Lets make sportsmanship and friendship win above all.
Best wishes to everyone from sunny Turkiye! :)
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