TEN MAN Czech Republic came within a whisker of sneaking a place in the last 16 against Turkey – until a stoppage-time strike from Cenk Tosun.
The already steep mountain in front of the Czechs seemingly became insurmountable in the 20th minute when Antonin Brak was given his marching orders for two bookings in the space of nine minutes.
AFPHakan Calhanoglu broke the deadlock in the 51st minute[/caption]
AFPTomas Soucek levelled the scores in the 66th minute[/caption]
The central Europeans managed to keep Turkey at bay until the 51st minute when Hakan Calhanoglu fired his country into the lead with a thumping left-footed strike.
They defended valiantly and were rewarded for their stellar efforts when West Ham‘s Tomas Soucek levelled the scores in the 66th minute from inside the 18-yard box.
Buoyed by their equaliser, the Czechs poured forward at every opportunity to try and nick a victory that would give them the chance of pipping Turkey to second place.
But despite their best efforts, they were unable to breach the Turkish goal for a second time.
And their hearts were broken in the 95th minute when former Everton man Tosun drilled a right-footed strike past the keeper to send the travelling Turkey supporters into a state of pandemonium.
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