Sport

Turkey serve eviction order on the hosts

SOCCER/Turkey 2 Switzerland 1: The Swiss have been evicted from their own party

DOMINIC FIFIELD in St Jakob Park
Thu Jun 12 2008 - 01:00

SOCCER/Turkey 2 Switzerland 1:The Swiss have been evicted from their own party. The home nation led for a spell in the deluge in Basle and while Hakan Yakin's goal separated these sides they even dared to dream, only for Turkey to sink them at the last in the mud.

Arda Turan's winner, deflected in off Patrick Mueller, was cruel. Misery has descended upon these parts.

That Yakin had missed two glorious chances to settle this game, the second coming six minutes from time when he was denied superbly by Volkan Demirel, had already dampened the mood.

The Turks had improved as the puddles drained away and will approach their final game against the Czech Republic aware that a draw will see them through.

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Having missed out on the last World Cup at Swiss hands, this felt like revenge.

The Turks' pursuit of parity - after Yakin tapped into an empty net after the ball had settled momentarily in a puddle - was rewarded in the 57th minute.

Nihat drifted wide, tormenting Stephan Lichtsteiner, and with his cross veering invitingly into the area, the substitute Semih Senturk arrived at speed between a befuddled Ludovic Magnin and Tranquillo Barnetta and planted his header beyond the exposed Benaglio.

If the goalkeeper felt he could have been stronger in turning away the effort, he was helpless when the contest was decided deep into stoppage time.

Turkey broke with pace, Arda cutting in from the left to batter a right-foot shot that flicked up off Muller's heal to loop beyond Benaglio and in.

The Turks erupted. For those that had spent the night bellowing "Hop Suisse", there was only deflation to endure.

SWITZERLAND: Benaglio, Lichtsteiner, Muller, Senderos, Magnin, Behrami, Inler, Gelson (Cabanas 76), Barnetta (Vonlanthen 66), Yakin (Gygax 85), Derdiyok. Subs not used: Zuberbuhler, Jakupovic, Djourou, Huggel, Frei, Streller, Grichting, Spycher, Degen. Booked: Derdiyok.

TURKEY: Demirel, Altintop, Asik, Cetin, Balta, Karadeniz (Senturk 46), Aurelio, Metin (Topal 46), Turan, Nihat (Kazim-Richards 85), Sanli. Subs not used: Rustu, Zengin, Zan, Emre, Gungor, Boral, Akman, Sarioglu, Erdinc. Booked: Sanli, Aurelio, Balta.

Referee: L Michel (Slovakia).