Turkey bidding to overcome poor record against Czechs and reach Euro quarters

The Associated Press , Geneva | Sun, 06/15/2008 4:56 PM | Sports

Turkey is counting on momentum to trump history when it plays the Czech Republic on Sunday for a quarterfinal spot at the European Championship.

The Turks came from behind to beat Euro 2008 co-host Switzerland 2-1 after the Czechs were defeated 3-1 by Portugal on Wednesday, setting up the game at Stade Geneve that will decide which team goes through to the final eight as Group A runner-up behind the
Portuguese team.

"My players needed something like this to gain confidence again," Turkey coach Fatih Terim said of the Swiss game. "The three points carried our hopes into the last group game. We are
still in the competition and hopeful - that's important."

While Turkey has been lifted by the comeback in Basel against the Swiss, its record against the Czechs doesn't bode well for its prospects.

The Czechs have won 10 games, drawn three and only lost once to Turkey, in a 1958 friendly when they were part of Czechoslovakia. The two teams last played two years ago in a warm-up for the 2006 World Cup, drawing 2-2 in the Turkish city of Izmir.

Turkey midfielder Hamit Altintop doesn't believe history will have any relevance, but says his team's improved self-belief can carry them through.

"We did not lose our faith or let ourselves down, although we were 1-0 down by halftime," Altintop said. "Now, with the morale we have, you must believe that we will have a good result in the game against the Czech Republic and get to the quarterfinals."

However, Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech downplayed the importance of the results from Wednesday's matches.

"It doesn't matter how we played before or how they played before, now it's another game, another occasion," Cech said. "Everything is at stake. Only one of us can advance and that's now we have to take it." (***)

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