Czechia 1-2 Turkey: Player Ratings as Cenk Tosun nets 94th-minute winner
Turkey left it late against the Czechia in a pulsating 2-1 victory at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg. Cenk Tosun came off the bench to score the winning goal in the fourth-minute of added time as the Crescent-Stars progressed from Group F as the runners-up behind leaders Portugal.
It was a game of two halves, with Turkey and Czech Republic hesitant to get out of second gear in the opening stanza, and chances coming few and far between. But the match opened up after the break with Hakan Calhanoglu firing the Turks in front in the 51st minute. Tomas Soucek equalized for the Locomotives 15 minutes later as Turkey’s celebrations were cut short.
Both sides pushed for a winner as the match went on, intensifying goalmouth action at both ends. Following a lovely team play, Tosun came in possession on the left and moved inside to shift the ball onto his right before unleashing a spectacular strike into the far post as Turkey snatched it at the death. They play Austria in the last-16, while the Czechs finished at the bottom of Group F with just one point.
Czech Republic National Football Team Player Ratings vs Turkey
Goalkeeper
Jindřich Staněk – 5/10: He had no chance with either of Turkey’s goals, but didn’t necessarily inspire hope between the sticks.
Defenders
Tomas Holes – 7/10: He constantly looked to get his side forward with long balls while making vital interventions in defense.
Robin Hranac – 5/10: The center-back was barely involved despite playing the entirety of the game. His positioning wasn’t great either and was nowhere to be found during Turkey’s goalscoring moments.
Ladislav Krejčí – 6.5/10: A force of nature, the 25-year-old made three clearances, one tackle and blocked one shot too.
Midfielders
Vladimir Coufal – 7/10: The West Ham star displayed excellent leadership and looked to impede Turkey’s movements with vital interventions.
Tomas Soucek – 8/10: The West Ham star’s aerial prowess was on full display with Soucek winning all six, while also bringing the Locomotives level with a solid finish from close range.
Lukas Provod – 6/10: The midfielder blew hot and cold, with his best moments being few and far between.
David Jurasek – 6.5/10: Sloppy on the ball, but still had a few good moments going forward as Jurasek made five crosses and laid one key pass.
Forwards
Antonin Barak – 4/10: An unmitigated disaster, Barak was too rash and reckless, collecting two yellow cards in the opening stanza to get sent off and force his side to play with 10 men for over 70 minutes left.
Adam Hložek – 5/10: A complete non-factor for the Czechs, as he made only 13 touches and completed a mere three passes in 55 minutes of action.
Mojmír Chytil – 3/10: While it’s true that he was devoid of service, but whenever Chytil came in possession, which was rare, he seemed short on confidence and his markers were able to pluck the ball off him easily. In 55 minutes of action, he completed – wait for it – just one pass!
Substitutes
Matej Kovar – 6/10
Jan Kuchta – 6/10
Tomas Chory – 6.5/10
Ondrej Lingr – 6.5/10
Matej Jurasek – 6/10
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Turkey National Football Team Player Ratings vs Czech Republic
Goalkeepers
Mert Gunok – 7/10: It started off rather easily for the Turkish custodian, but when the Czechs threw the kitchen sink at them, Gunok stepped up and made a series of vital saves to keep his side in the game.
Defenders
Mert Muldur – 7.5/10: His ball-winning capabilities were top-notch while he also timed his tackles to perfection.
Samet Akaydin – 7/10: His excellent vision saw him snuff out danger with four vital clearances, and wasn’t afraid to throw his body on the line when required.
Merih Demiral – 7.5/10: The mortar to Akaydin’s brick, Demiral made eight clearances in the game, one interception and won six aerial duels too as the former Juventus defender was a rock in Turkey’s backline.
Ferdi Kadıoğlu – 7.5/10: A revelation down the left flank, Kadıoğlu added an extra layer of menace to Turkey’s attack. He made five key passes and one cross.
Midfielders
Salih Özcan – 6.5/10: All style but little substance as Özcan struggled to contribute anything meaningful besides good passes.
İsmail Yüksek – 7.5/10: He drove forward at full pelt and even assisted Calhanoglu for their goal.
Forwards
Arda Guler – 7.5/10: The Real Madrid youngster was a vivacious fireball of energy, buzzing around the Czech players with the ball looking to make something happen. He laid five crosses and one key pass.
Hakan Calhanoglu – 8/10: The Inter Milan star was their creative inspiration on the night and topped off a stellar performance with the opening goal for Turkey; it was his 19th international goal for the Crescent-Stars, and a third against the Czech Republic.
Kenan Yıldız – 7/10: He mustered five shots in the game, but just one of them were on target, displaying a lack of accuracy.
Baris Yilmaz – 7.5/10: The Turkish hitman asked questions of the Czech defense, biting at the heels of their defenders and posing a big threat with his movements. He won four ground duels and laid three crosses too for a promising display.
Substitutes
Okay Yokuslu – 6.5/10
Orkun Kokcu – 7/10
Muhammed Akturkoglu – 6/10
Cenk Tosun – 8/10
Kaan Ayhan – 6/10
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