czech republic rally to overcome turkey published: friday 10 october 2014, 23.01cet turkey 1-2 czech republic a cool finish from bořek dočkal on 58 minutes left the home team bottom of uefa euro 2016 qualifying group a.
by cetin cem yilmaz from şükrü saracoğlu
• czech republic come from behind to outstrip turkey • umut bulut goal gets turkey off to a great start • tomáš sivok and bořek dočkal respond to give czechs second win • turkey remain without a point after two group a matches • next games: latvia v turkey, kazakhstan v czech republic (13 october)
a bořek dočkal goal just before the hour mark helped the czech republic clinch a comeback win over turkey in uefa euro 2016 qualifying group a.
pavel kadeřábek found space on the right and produced a neat cutback into the path of dočkal, who kept his composure with a smart side-footed finish to silence a hopeful crowd at istanbul's şükrü saracoğlu stadium.
the home fans had received an early lift as umut bulut headed past petr Čech from a pinpoint caner erkin cross in the eighth minute, but turkey's lead lasted just seven minutes. tomáš rosický's shot deflected wide off defender semih kaya, and tomáš sivok nodded past his beşiktaş jk team-mate tolga zengin from the resulting ladislav krejčí corner. in an apparent gesture of respect towards his beşiktaş team-mates in the turkey squad, sivok did not celebrate his goal.
gökhan töre and arda turan sent attempts just the wrong side of the woodwork as turkey rallied, and they went closer still on 41 minutes, midfielder ozan tufan finding umut just outside the area but the forward's strike was saved by Čech. caner then curled a free-kick past the chelsea fc goalkeeper but it glanced wide of Čech's left-hand post.
the czechs returned refreshed after the break, vladimír darida volleying a warning shot from distance off target. on 58 minutes, dočkal got what proved to be the winning goal – and in the process did something to avenge his country's memorable 3-2 defeat by turkey in uefa euro 2008.
