Euro 2024: Turkey beats the Czech Republic 2-1 and reaches the round of 16

Turkey beats the Czech Republic 2-1 in the match valid for the last day of group F of Euro 2024 and qualifies to the round of 16 as second: the goals of Hakan Calhanoglu and Cenk Tosun were decisive. The Czechs, however, finish in last place and are eliminated. Hasek’s team immediately carved out an opportunity after just two minutes with a shot by Provod, which was deflected for a corner by Gunok.

In the 13th minute the Turkish national team responds with an attempt by Arda Guler, which however ends wide. The Czechs still take control of the match, creating two more scoring chances first with Jurasek and then with Hranac, but their shots lack precision. In the 20th minute the first turning point of the match arrived as Antonin Barak, already booked a few minutes earlier, committed a great naivety and was sent off, leaving his teammates numerically inferior. Turkey, therefore, began to push with greater conviction and in the 27th minute they became dangerous with the usual Guler, on whom Krejci’s save was providential. Despite some important chances, the two teams went to half-time with the score 0-0 after three minutes of added time. In the second half Turkey started strongly and, after attempts by Yildiz and Ylmaz, found the opening goal in the 51st minute with Hakan Calhanoglu: the Inter midfielder finished with precision with his right foot and scored into the corner. The Czech Republic made a round of substitutions and reacted strongly, grabbing the equalizer in the 66th minute with a close-range shot from Tomas Soucek. The match gets back on track and the Czechs launch into a long final assault, but Vincenzo Montella’s boys strike again with Cenk Tosun, who sets the score at the final 2-1. By virtue of this success, Turkey secures second place with 6 points and flies to the round of 16, while the Czech Republic finishes last with 1 point and is eliminated from Euro 2024.

The scoreboard

CZECH REPUBLIC (3-4-1-2): Stanek 6 (15’st Kovar 6); Holes 6, Hranac 6.5, Krejci 6.5; Coufal 6, Soucek 7, Provod 6.5 (30’st Lingr 6), Jurasek D. 6 (36’st Jurasek M. sv); Barracks 4; Caught 5 (10’st Kuctha 5.5), Hlozek 5 (10’st Chory 5.5). In panchina: Jaros, Zima, Vitik, Sevcik, Schick, Doudera, Cerny, Cerv, Sulc. Coach: Hasek 5.5.

Türkiye (4-2-3-1): Gunok 6; Muldur 5.5, Akaydin 6, Demiral 6, Kadioglu 6.5; Yuksek 6 (18’st Yokuslu 6), Ozcan 6 (1’st Ayhan 6); Guler 6 (30’st Tosun 7), Calhanoglu 7 (42’st Kokcu sv), Yildiz 6 (30’st Akturkoglu 6); Yilmaz 5. In panchina: Bayindir, Cakir, Celik, Yazici, Kaplan, Kahveci, Kilicsoy, Akgun, Yildirim. Allenatore: Montella 7.

REFEREE: Kovacs (ROM) 6. GOALS: 6′ st Calhanoglu, 21′ st Soucek, 49′ st Tosun. NOTES: Peaceful evening, pitch in good condition. Expelled: Barak, in the 20th minute, due to yellow cards. Booked: Ozcan, Schick (from the bench), Yildiz, Yuksek, Gunok, Calhanoglu, Cakir, Muldur, Jaros, Cerv, Akaydin, Krejci, Kokcu, Ayhan. Corners: 7-3 for Turkey. Recovery time: 3′; 6′.