Cenk Tosun scored a crucial goal in stoppage time, leading Turkey to a 2-1 victory over the 10-man Czech Republic and securing their spot in the knockout stage of the European Championship. Tosun, coming off the bench, evaded two defenders before smashing a powerful shot into the net.
His goal sparked celebrations among most fans at Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion, though it also caused a brief confrontation between players and substitutes who rushed onto the field. Czech forward Tomas Chory received a red card in the aftermath, while Tomas Soucek and Turkey’s Arda Guler were booked.
Referee Istvan Kovacs had a busy night, sending off Czech midfielder Antonin Barak in the 20th minute and issuing a total of 18 yellow cards.
Barak’s first yellow was for a tactical foul, followed by another for a challenge on Salih Ozcan. Czech coach Ivan Hasek noted Barak’s remorse at halftime, describing him as visibly upset.
The red card energized Turkey, who launched several attacking moves with Kenan Yildiz, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Guler causing problems for the Czech defense. Meanwhile, Patrik Schick, the Czech star player, missed the match due to a calf injury and was cautioned for protesting from the bench.
Calhanoglu broke the deadlock in the 51st minute with a powerful shot that beat Czech goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek. Stanek had earlier made a spectacular save to deny Mert Muldur but couldn’t keep out Calhanoglu’s precise strike.
