Quick Report: Switzerland 1-2 Turkey

A dramatic late winner by Arda Turan lifted Turkey to a 2-1 victory over co-hosts Switzerland in Basel, eliminating the Swiss from Euro 2008 on Tuesday night. The win for Turkey also booked Portugal’s passage into the quarter-finals.

The storyline in the first half was the driving rain pouring down in St. Jakob Park causing footing and passing to go by the wayside, but the Swiss seemed to thrive in it with Tranquillo Barnetta firing in a shot that had to be parried away by Turkish goalkeeper Volkan Demirel.

In the 32nd minute, the Swiss finally opened their goalscoring account in the tournament as a looping ball found 19-year-old Eren Derdiyok onside and he laid it back into the six-yard box for a charging Hakan Yakin to slot home.

Switzerland had a couple of chances to add to the lead, but Turkey found themselves level in the 57th minute when Nihat’s cross from the left finds the head of substitute Semih Sentürk to beat Diego Benaglio.

Nihat almost had the go-ahead for Turkey when he slid for a pass from Tuncay, but it was just out of reach. Switzerland also came close to taking the lead in the 84th minute when a counterattack led to an open shot by Yakin, but Volkan Demirel saved well from that shot and the rebound.

But three minutes into added time, Turan ran down the left flank on a counterattack, turned inside two defenders and fired a shot that deflected off a Swiss player and into the net for the winner.