Hamburg, June 27 (Representative) In a match that will be remembered for its extraordinary flurry of yellow cards, Turkey edged past the Czech Republic to secure their spot in the last 16, overcoming a gritty opponent who played with ten men for more than 70 minutes. The game saw an astonishing 16 yellow cards handed out by Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs, whose relentless officiating left both teams treading on eggshells. The Czech Republic’s troubles began early when they lost star man Patrick Schick and then suffered the earliest—and one of the harshest—red cards in Euros history, shown to Antonin Barak. Despite being a man down, the Czechs fought bravely, leveling the score through West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek. Schick, relegated to the bench, still managed to find himself in the referee’s book for vociferous protests just 35 minutes into the game. The referee’s liberal distribution of yellow cards set a frenetic tone.
Early on, Lukas Provod and Tomas Soucek created promising chances, only to be stymied by Turkey’s defense. Robin Hranac’s header over the bar was another missed opportunity for the Czechs, who knew everything was on the line. The game took a dramatic turn when Barak received his second yellow card in the 21st minute for what many considered a soft foul. Reduced to ten men, the Czechs had to abandon their aggressive strategy and focus on defense. Referee Kovacs’ zealous officiating continued to disrupt the game’s flow, much to the frustration of both teams. Turkey, though dominating possession, found it challenging to create clear-cut chances. The breakthrough finally came after the restart when a deflected shot landed at the feet of Hakan Calhanoglu, who slotted home with precision.
The Czechs, now in dire need of two goals, faced further setbacks when goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek was forced off injured. Despite the mounting odds, the Czech Republic found hope when Tomas Soucek bundled in an equalizer, capitalizing on a missed opportunity by Turkey. The match, already intense, reached new heights of drama as substitute Tomas Chory battled Turkey’s keeper Gunok, his effort blocked on the line but falling to Soucek for the crucial finish. The relentless yellow cards continued to punctuate the match, with four players booked on the bench alone. The game seemed destined for a draw until Cenk Tosun delivered a heart-breaking final blow in stoppage time, ensuring Turkey’s passage to the knockout stage. It was a night of high drama, relentless officiating, and a staggering tally of yellow cards that left fans breathless and players wary, epitomizing the unpredictable and thrilling nature of the Euros.