Turkey knocks Swiss out of tournament

My Boy! : Turkey coach, Fatih Terim give embrace to his youth , Adra Turan. -ink™

Turkey coach Fatih Terim's calls for heavenly help were answered when the rains let up. His squad took care of the rest.

Arda Turan scored in injury time yesterday to give Turkey a 2-1 win over Switzerland that eliminated the co-hosts from the European Championship.

Turan scored in the second minute of injury time, sending a right-footed shot from outside the area that deflected in off Switzerland defender Patrick Mueller. That capped a comeback that began after the torrential downpour of the first half stopped.

Substitute Semih Senturk also scored for Turkey, heading in a cross in the 57th minute. Hakan Yakin had given Switzerland the lead during the heaviest rain in the 32nd.

Switzerland became only the second European Championship host eliminated before the final four. Euro 2000 co-host Belgium also failed to get through the group stage.

The result also sent Portugal through to the quarter-finals from Group A. The Portuguese beat the Czech Republic 3-1 in Geneva. The Turks and Czechs will play for the final spot from the group on Sunday.

A first-half downpour left the field at St. Jakob Park a quagmire, and a draw seemed likely until Turan's shot. The soaked crowd sat stunned.

Yakin scored during the heavy rain, reacting quickly after a cross from 19-year-old Eren Derdiyok got stuck in a large puddle in front of goal.

Like Yakin, Derdiyok is a Swiss of Turkish origin. Yakin had another chance in the 84th minute, but goalkeeper Volkan Demirel made a diving save, reacting fast enough to snuff out Ricardo Cabanas' effort on the rebound.

The match was the first between the two teams since an ugly brawl three years ago in Istanbul that brought a rash of suspensions, with FIFA president Sepp Blatter even threatening at one point to ban Turkey from the 2010 World Cup.

Blatter, a Swiss native, backed down.