"Switzerland 1-2 Turkey"

Co-hosts Switzerland are out of Euro 2008 after they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Turkey in a dramatic night in Basle.

Switzerland went ahead through Hakan Yakin, but in a match played in treacherous conditions caused by a torrential downpour first half, Turkey hit back with second half goals from Semih and Arda Turan - the latter comes into injury time.

At one point there were fears that the game may have to be abandoned as the playing surface became virtually unplayable. Fortunately, conditions eased in the second half and was Turkey who were able to ride the storm.

The Turks started with real purpose and forced Switzerland to the back foot from the kick. Fatih Terim party came close to taking the lead on 29 minutes when Nihat Palmer is a free-kick outside Switzerland goalkeeper Diego Benaglia at the head of Arda Turan and gets back onto the post.

In the half hour mark the torrential downpour had made under treacherous and any attempt to pass or run with the ball seemed futile.

The game became increasingly farcical as a means carrying Turkey and the attempt to play their short passing game made it impossible for the ball consistently remained stagnant water on the pitch.

Switzerland, with a more direct style, best suited to the atrocious playing surface and that there was a big surprise when iban ahead. Philippe Senderos izará a long ball forward and Eren Derdiyok turkish skipped past goalkeeper Volkan Demirel, before squaring to Turkey through the six-yard box, the ball stopping in a puddle of Hakan Yakin to touch a short distance.

Two minutes later, Hakan Yakin should have added a second Valon Behrami when he was found unmarked just five yards, but the Swiss striker sliced his effort wide of the post when it seemed easier to score.

The Turkish side expects disconsolate understandable, since trudge off the pitch at half-time. Faced with imminent elemination and with little prospect of improving conditions, their prospects to revisit the game scarce.

Luckily the rain decreased and the groundstaff drainage from the surface half-time conditions inproved dramatically after the break.

Turkey, relishing the best playing surface, started his string passes together and take the game to co-host.

The tie came just in time when Nihat trademark curling over a wonderful cross from the left and rose to substitute Semih winking Benaglia past that got a hand to the ball but could only deflect into the net.

With both reserves aware that a draw is unlikely to improve their prospects of reaching the knockout stages the game became stretched and there are chances at both ends. Perhaps the best of luck fell to Hakan Yakin whose left foot effort effort was saved by the outstretched arm of Volkan.

With seconds remaining, Switzerland pressed forward in search of another winner, but their attack was broken when Turkey broke with the ball reaching Arda Turan in the left wing. The cut inside two defenders and shot from the edge of the area, the ball over the keeper and rolled across a detour by Patrick Mueller.

Heartbreak for the Swiss, but the joy unconfined for Turkey now meet the Czech Republic on Sunday with a place in the last eight at stake.



Group A
Switzerland 1-2 Turkey

Annotation:
Switzerland: Hakan Yakin 32
Turkey: Semih Senturk 57, Arda Turan 90 +2

Half-time: 1-0

Teams:
Switzerland: 1-Diego Benaglia; 5-Stephan Lichtsteiner, 20-Patrick Mueller, 4-Philippe Senderos, 3-Ludovic Magnin, 19-Valon Behrami, 8-Gokhan Inler, 15-Gelson Fernandes (7-Ricardo Cabanas 76), 16 -- Tranquillo Barnett (22-Johan Vonlanthen 66), 10-Hakan Yakin (14-Daniel Gygax 85), 12-Eren Derdiyok

Turkey: 23-Volkan Demirel, 22-Hamit Altintop, 15-Emre Asik, Servet Cetin 2-, 3-Hakan Balta, 10-Gokdeniz Karadeniz (9 Semih Senturk-46), 11-Tumer Metin (6-Mehmet Topal 46) , 7-Mehmet Aurelio, 14-Arda Turan; Tuncay Sanli, 17, 8-Nihat Kahveci (18 Kazim Kazim-85)