It was a case of so near, yet so far for the Czech Republic as they bowed out of EURO 2024 despite a courageous effort against Turkey in their final group stage clash on Wednesday, June 26th at the Volksparkstadion.
Reduced to 10 men early on following Antonin Barak’s controversial sending-off in the 20th minute, the Czechs gave it their all against the odds, fighting back from a goal down to level through Tomas Soucek, only to be cruelly denied a famous result by Cenk Tosun’s stoppage-time winner.
The decisive moment came in the fourth minute of second-half added time, as substitute Tosun expertly fired home to break Czech hearts and secure Turkey’s passage to the last 16, where they will face Austria on Tuesday, July 2nd, at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for Ivan Hasek’s men, who more than played their part in an enthralling encounter in Hamburg. Despite the numerical disadvantage, they refused to lie down, maintaining an admirable defensive discipline while also posing a threat on the counter-attack.
Hakan Calhanoglu’s well-taken opener in the 51st minute had put the Crescent Stars on course for victory, but the Czechs responded superbly, with Soucek pouncing on a goalkeeping error to level the scores 15 minutes later and set up thrilling final minutes of the game.
Ultimately, though, Turkey’s superior quality showed in the end, with Tosun’s late intervention ensuring they finished as runners-up in Group F behind Portugal.
For the Czechs, it represents a missed opportunity to progress from the group stage for the first time since EURO 2016. Despite their best efforts, the 10-man disadvantage proved too much to overcome, and they depart the tournament without a single win to their name.
Nonetheless, Hasek and his players can hold their heads high after pushing a stronger Turkey side all the way. On another day, with 11 men on the pitch, they may well have pulled off a famous victory.
As for Turkey, Vincenzo Montella will be relieved to have navigated a tricky group, but he knows his side will need to improve if they are to progress further in the competition.
The clash with Austria promises to be a captivating affair, with both teams eager to make their mark on the knockout stages.
