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A 90th-minute strike from Philipp Lahm sent Germany into the UEFA EURO 2008™ final and ended the march of a brave Turkey side who were unable to summon one last dramatic equaliser.

Gripping contest
Semih Şentürk had already brought Turkey to the brink of extra time with an 86th-minute strike, yet Lahm's super finish from Thomas Hitzlsperger's pass finally flattened Fatih Terim's team. For once, they had led first, through Uğur Boral's 22nd-minute opener, only for Bastian Schweinsteiger to quickly equalise before Miroslav Klose wrested the initiative eleven minutes from time in an exciting semi-final in Basel.

Blistering start
Christoph Metzelder's early slice from Uğur's cross set the tone. Kazım Kazım broke confidently before Lahm's sloppiness allowed his FC Bayern München team-mate Hamit Altıntop – one of two German-born Turkey starters along with Hakan Balta – a half-chance he scuffed at Jens Lehmann. Terim's men were playing as if they had nothing to lose. From Ayhan Akman's cutback, Kazım smashed against the crossbar. Semih nearly turned in a cross, then a telescopic leg from Per Mertesacker denied Ayhan.
Thrilling finish
Full-back Sabri's right-wing surge went unrewarded, then Uğur warmed Lehmann's hands as Turkey continued to attack through clever use of the flanks. However, it was a long cross from a deeper position from Lahm that looked to have decided the match, goalkeeper Rüştü Reçber failing to reach a ball that Klose headed into the unguarded net. Turkey had redefined the term plucky underdog with last-gasp goals against Switzerland, Czech Republic and Croatia and duly came again. Sabri was the source, his cross being turned in at the near post by Semih. Extra time loomed, but that was discounting the one-two between Hitzlsperger and Lahm that provided the knockout punch.