New Delhi: The final Group F fixture match between the Czech Republic and Turkey at Euro 2024 will be remembered for more than just its dramatic finish. The game descended into chaos at times with a record-breaking number of cards dished out by the referee in and after the match.
From the very start, the match was a tense affair. As Czechs knew a win would only secure them a spot in the knockouts while Turkey just needed to avoid defeat. The high stakes led to a chaotic encounter with tension boiling over throughout the 90 minutes.
The cards rack up
The referee struggled to maintain control and ended up giving up a staggering 18 cards in or after the game – 16 yellows and 2 reds surpassing the previous European Championships record of 10. The action started early, setting the tone for a night of disciplinary chaos.
Czech attacking midfielder Antonin Barak was handed two yellow inside twenty minutes, becoming the quickest sending-off in Euro history.
11 minutes later, Salih Ozcan became the second Czech player to go into the referee’s book, collecting a yellow in the 31st minute. The physicality increased as the match progressed.
Initially, Turkey struggled to break down the Czech Republic and finished the first half without a shot on target. But their passionate fans went wild six minutes after the start of the second half when captain Hakan Calhanoglu struck into the bottom corner.
Czech got back level when West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek volleyed in from six yards including a disallowed goal for the Czechs.
Eighteen cards including two red cards tell us everything about the game and how disorderly it was. Eight of those bookings came after the 80th minute as both sides started pushing for the second goal. Patrik Schick, the Bayern Leverkusen striker was awarded a yellow for dissent and would have been suspended for the next match if they had qualified.
The Czech Republic, despite being one man short, went direct and caused Turkey problems. It wasn’t late until Cenk Tosun came on and completed a bit of a smash-and-grab to seal Turkey’s place in the next round. But staying true to the nature of the contest, Tomas Chory was shown a straight red card after a mass brawl ensued at the end of the match as the Czechs ended with nine men.
Aftermath and future implications
The final whistle blew as Turkey emerged 2-1 winners. The match will go down in Euro history for all the wrong reasons. Even after the match finished the Czech players on the bench received two yellows. Though the loud and passionate Turkey fans moved away from the chaos to celebrate a memorable win, UEFA will undoubtedly be reviewing the handling of the match and may take disciplinary action against some of the players involved.
The hope is that this will serve as a cautionary tale and future Euro matches will be played in a more controlled manner.
The Euro 2024 showdown between Turkey and the Czech Republic wasn’t just a battle for knockout spots – it became a historic spectacle of disciplinary chaos with the referee issuing a record-breaking 18 cards. Find out how this card-filled clash unfolded in a match for the ages. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
