Turkey secured their place in the last-16 of the European Championship with a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic

In a thrilling and hot-tempered final group game, Turkey secured their place in the last-16 of the European Championship with a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic. Cenk Tosun’s stoppage-time winner set up a knockout tie against Austria, capping off a match filled with tension and record-breaking discipline issues.

The Czech Republic needed a win to avoid elimination and pressed hard for a goal in the closing stages. However, their aggressive push left gaps in their defense, which former Everton striker Tosun exploited. Cutting inside, he fired a decisive shot into the back of the net, clinching the victory for Turkey.

The Czech Republic’s chances were further hindered by Antonin Barak’s red card in the first half, after he received a second yellow for a studs-up challenge on Arda Guler. The match saw a total of 18 cards, setting a new record for a European Championship game.

Turkey struggled to break down their opponents in the first half, failing to register a shot on target. The breakthrough came six minutes after the break when captain Hakan Calhanoglu struck a low shot into the bottom corner, igniting wild celebrations among the Turkish fans.

Desperately needing to score twice, the Czech Republic equalized through West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek, who volleyed in from six yards. The game then became an open contest, with both teams pushing for a winner.

In the 94th minute, Tosun’s late goal sealed the win for Turkey. The match ended in chaos as players clashed, resulting in another red card for the Czech Republic’s Tomas Chory. Despite the ill-discipline, Turkey’s passionate supporters celebrated the memorable win, reminiscent of their dramatic victory over the Czechs in the 2008 tournament.

The heat in Hamburg seemed to fuel the intensity of the game, contributing to the record number of bookings. Even injured Czech striker Patrik Schick received a yellow card despite not playing.

As the final whistle blew, Turkey’s fans could finally focus on their team’s progression to the knockout stages, celebrating another unforgettable triumph at the European Championship.

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