Final Score: Germany 3-2 Turkey

Duncan Irving was online providing commentary and fostering discussion of the Euro 2008 semifinal between Germany and Turkey, two teams with a sporting rivalry rooted in the two countries’ intertwined cultural experiences. As many of you also watching on ESPN noticed, the feed from Basel provided some difficulties during the match. Read the recap below.

9:30p.m Update:Thanks for your comments. We do read them all. As several posters pointed out, ESPN broadcasts games from Bristol, Conn. In other words, they’re watching the same pictures as the rest of us. I don’t think there’s any sleight of hand there, and they’re also not the only ones to do so — ITV in England, for example, are broadcasting from their own studios, too. But when it all goes south, ESPN is in the same position as the rest of us — only they turn to Tommy Smyth and Julie Foudy, while we turn the air blue.
One final point: please come back tomorrow around 2:30pm when my colleague Jeff Z. Klein will be taking time out from running the Rings blog to bring you live coverage of the Russia-Spain semifinal in Vienna. Cheers — Duncan.

Final Score: Germany 3-2 Turkey. The greatest game we never saw. The feed is back — between thunderbolts — and shows the Germans celebrating on the field. From what was available to us, they looked the more composed of the two teams, and Lahm atoned for a multitude of errors with a fantastic winner. That’s it from me. Thanks for your comments. Here’s hoping the weather plays ball a little nicer tomorrow. Bye!

90+3 Gazing at the fan zone again. The fans in white are all dancing, which will tell you that Germany is now in the European Championship Final.

90 No picture again, but there are three minutes of stoppage time to be played. Great footage of the streets outside the stadium.

89 GOOOOOOOOALLLLLL Germany 3-2 Turkey. Thomas Hizlsperger notices that the Turkish defenders are guilty of ball-watching. Lahm tears into the box from the left, and smacks a murderous volley into the upper-V. Incredible. Punctuated by another power outage.

86 GOAAL!!!! Germany 2-2 Turkey. But wait!! Semih Senturk squeaks in at the near post to poke the ball between Lehmann and the near post, from a great ball by Sarioglu. Lahm was left for dead on that one.

78 Apparently, Rustu had his dose of the yips and flapped at a cross that Klose headed home. This is clearly divine retribution for giving ESPN props. Actually, the entire TV world is without pictures at the moment. Imagine that! The sporting world brought to a standstill by a t-storm! We almost had a tantalizing glimpse of the goal but, as with those can-you-guess-what-happened-next quizzes, they cut out!!

78 Fanzone update: Germany 2-1 Turkey. Apparently, Klose scored. That’s great. Just great.

76 Back in the studio with Julie Foudy and Tommy Smyth. Please, bring back the feed, please?!

75 And another lightning bolt hits the EBU power point. Is there a higher power trying to tell us something?

74 Turkish attacks are now fewer and farther between. Should Loew be considering a change? You know that Fatih Terim has to roll with what he has out there.

72 Boral takes a long ball on the left, blows by Friedrich with each and then shoots into Lehmann’s chest. Meanwhile Hizlsperger responds with a mighty whack from 25 yards that goes just wide.

69 Lahm, who’s having a mild shocker tonight, tugs Kasim’s shirt and brings him down at the edge of the area. Another non-call there.

67 Boral wins a corner for Turkey. They’re trying to attack, but there are no bodies in the box. The movement off the ball just isn’t there. This corner is headed clear.

65 Friedrich, who’s parallel with the penalty spot, whacks in a lousy cross. Cross aside, it does show you how far the Germans have advanced pre- and post-lightning bolt.

64 We’re back. Lightning struck and froze EVERYBODY’S TV feed.

61 Still 1-1, though.

57 We’ve had a power surge in Switzerland, knocking the picture out. But while they blather in the studio, I should tell you that the arrival of Frings has really tightened up that German midfield. Where the Turks were happy to rampage through the midfield, this time around they’re having to wait for their opportunities, and also to foul.

57 Technical problems hit ESPN and we’re left watching people watching the game at the fan zone in Basel/Basle. “Ever been to a fan zone, Andy?” asks desperate Derek.

56 Oooh this is a dangerous free kick here. Ballack is caught by Altintop about 25 yards out — Ballack country. And it’s off the wall.

54 Hizlsperger shoots weakly over from a great feed by Podolski. The Germans are much more measured in their play since the restart, and are beginning to threaten more regularly.

52 Yellow card Turkey: Semih Senturk trips up Frings.

49 Lahm is fed a great ball from the center and tears into the area where his heels are clipped by Sabri Sarioglu. There’s a confident shout for a penalty but referee Massimo Busacca waves play on. The Turks catch a big break there. Replays show pretty convincingly that’s a penalty.

48 Turkey stroke the ball around the midfield, which is all well and good … but we want the lightning attacks (no, not literally!). Philip Lahm livens things up by fouling Altintop. Urgul Boral’s ball is caught — yes, caught — by Lehmann.

46 And we’re off again. A quick throughball by Schweinsteiger is picked off the feet of Podolski before he can fire a shot. He follows this with a wayward effort and trots back to the halfway line, shaking his head.

46 Substitution Germany: Rolfes off; Frings on. The cut never closed, I guess.

45+2 Halftime:Germany 1-1 Turkey. And that’ll do it. How this one turns out is anybody’s guess, but Turkey are far from the walking wounded they’ve been dubbed.

44 Another Turkey free kick by Altintop. This one is “audacious” according to Derek Rae. Given the way it dribbled off the legs of the defender, “rubbish” might be more accurate.

42 Altintop fires a woeful effort over that bar. Rolfes’ cut doesn’t look like closing, so Torsten Frings gets ready.

41 Germany find themselves exposed at the back again. A quick give-and-go is cleared at the last, but then Sarioglu fires one over from distance after Lahm is left for dead.

40 Ayan Akkman and Rolfes clash heads. Both come off with head wounds, although Rolfes’ looks the more open cut.

37 Lahm continues to struggle with Kasim and gives up a dangerous free kick on the edge of the area. Boral fires at Lehmann, who fists clear. Not terribly confidently, it has to be said.

32 Turkey get a major letoff here as they lose possession in the German half. Hizlsperger spots Podolski and fires a sharp pass to feet. Podolski has acres to run on goal, but blasts his shot over the bar.

31 Free kick from Altintop on the left that floats in. Lehmann has another cardiac moment, as he misjudges and has to backpedal to turn the ball behind.

30 It’s wide open right now, which suits the Germans rather better. They grab another corner, but can’t make it count.

28 Hizlsperger whips another free kick into the box, but this time the Turks clear easily. Lehmann fields another soft cross at the other end.

25 GOOOOOAAAL GERMANY 1-1 TURKEY. Hizlsperger plays a long ball to Podolski on the left who threads a pass. across a static backline to Schweinsteiger, who ghosts in and flicks the ball in from close-range. Great strike, but really against the run of play.

22 Santurk’s shot takes a deflection off Metzelder for a corner. The ball whistles across the six yard box. Another close call for the Germans.

21 GOAAAALLLL!!! GERMANY 0-1 TURKEY. Ugul Boral. Ball in from the right. Kasim scuffs a shot that bounces off the crossbar, and Boral squirts a shot through the legs of Lehmann. That was your cardiac moment.

18 Long, useless ball from Podolski to nobody. Klose lurks on the shoulder of the central defender nearest him waiting for the counter. Safe to say that Germany have yet to find their footing.

16 That’s better for Germany. A run from deep by Ballack causes chaos in the Turkish defense and wins a corner. Rustu, you’ll be glad to know, punches clear.

15 Urgal Boral fouls Klose on the right. Hitzlsperger sends in a long ball that Rustu, breaking the habit of a lifetime, catches.

14 Ballack goes down after a challenge from Mehmet Aurelio, and stays there in a craven effort to get his breath back.

13 Whistles from the German crowd as a lazy Schweinsteiger pass is intercepted and Turkey attack in waves. Kasim Kasim rattles the crossbar and Senleh Senturk hit the stanchion. All Turkey here.

11 Turkey have figured out fairly quickly that Lahm is the weaker of the fullbacks, and are launching several attacks down their right. Lahm looks a bit rattled by all this. No rain yet, but the field is a mix of green and dried out brown.

9 Metzelder is seeing a lot of the ball, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. Here he goes for a long foray upfield and winds up on his backside.

6 Ballack gets a nice how’d you do from Mehmet Aurelio, the mandatory Brazilian import. They lose the ball immediately from the free kick, but Kasim Kasim gives a nice shot that winds up in Lehmann’s gut.

5 Good early pressure from the Turks here. The Germans, it has to be said are quite happy to sit back and let them attack for now.

And we’re off!! Germany decide to leave Frings and his ribs on the bench, and stick with their Portugal lineup.

Turkey — Rustu, Gokhsan Zan, Mehmet Topal, Sabri Sariologu, Hakan Balta, Mehmet Aurelio, Ayhan Akman, Altintop, Ugur Boral, Kasim Kasim. Semih Senturk.

Germany — Lehmann, Lahm, Mettzelder, Mertesacker, Friedrich, Rolfes, Hitzlesperger, Ballack, Podolski, Schweinsteiger, Klose.

Make that the other way around. Rustu speaks out against racism. As does Michael Ballack. Neither fluffs their lines and we’re almost ready.

But first, a racism lecture and then the national anthems. Don’t see that third-string keeper ready to go there. The Turkish fans are giving it a good rendition, but they’re swamped by the German anthem, Lied Der Deutschland.

Almost good to go here: Seven Nation Army chant — check. Comedy hat — check. Replica shirts stretched over expanding guts — check. Packed house — check.

So, Turkey is without Nihat, Emre, Tumer, Emre Gungor, and Servet Cetin, who are all injured. Meanwhile, Volkan (bad Volkan!), Arda Turan, Tuncay, and Emre Asik, who are all suspended.

***

Hello everyone, and welcome to the New York Times’ live coverage of today’s Euro 2008 semifinal between Turkey and Germany. Duncan Irving at the keys, covering this match from balmy Brooklyn, quite unlike tonight’s venue, Basle/Basel, where they’re expecting a big dumping of rain this evening. How will that re-laid patchwork quilt of a field hold up? And will that benefit the underdog Turks or the fancied Germans?

The good news for both teams is that the new yellow card amnesty kicks in tonight. Collect a second tournament yellow, and you’re still good to go Sunday for the championship game. The bad news is that it doesn’t help the Turks tonight, who (depending upon whom you believe) will be without half/two-thirds/three-quarters or 95 percent of their squad through suspension or injury. Coach Fatih Terim is either bluffing, rummaging down the back of his couch for available players or prepping his third-string goalie as a backup striker.

But should UEFA wipe the card slate clean after each round, to maintain the strongest lineups, or should miscreant teams continue to be punished? Let us know. The Turks are the victims of some full-blooded play in the earlier rounds, which may make tonight’s contest a little less even than it might otherwise be.

As for Germany, there’s quite a bit of pressure riding on their shoulders. The fans back home have been enjoying the Turks’ progress, but that will end tonight. Given the injury woes of their opponent, they’re expected to win, and win well. Joachim Loew hit upon a winning combination against the Portuguese, but now has to accommodate Torsten Frings, who has a broken rib but is deemed fit to play. Expect Frings to play a holding role that will free up captain Michael Ballack to support the front players.

On paper, this should be a straightforward win for the Mannschaft, but there are weaknesses the Turks can exploit: the German central defenders are not the most mobile, and goalkeeper Jens Lehmann can be relied upon to produce at least one cardiac moment per game. The Turkish attackers are sharpshooters, particularly from long-range, and a slippery surface may just work to their advantage.

This commentator’s heart says Turkey, but his head (and the betting slip in his wallet) say Germany.

I take no pride in this, by the way: the odds were rotten (4-1), and I’m keeping company with the miseries on the BBC’s Football Focus, who went 7-0 for the Germans.

Back around 2:30 Eastern with lineups on ESPN, who, I think deserve a lot of praise for their coverage. One, they’ve borrowed Andy Gray from Sky for the summer. Yes, he’s a bit overbearing sometimes — like being cornered by a favorite uncle at a wedding reception — but he brings genuine enthusiasm and passion for the sport. And he does his homework. And two, they’ve brought it all to us in High Definition, and also Smudgevision, for those of you watching ESPN360.com at work. We usually berate them when they screw up (deservedly so), but we should also give them a trendy fist pound when they do well. Which they have.