Germany go back to the future

'German efficiency'
Twelve years after last gracing a final at EURO '96™,  the term 'German efficiency' was back on the tips of tongues from Basel to the Bosphorus as Joachim Löw's men defeated Turkey with their only three shots on target. The scoreline was the same as in the impressive quarter-final victory against Portugal but the performance recalled the Mannschaft's stuttering group-stage displays which led one newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, to suggest with its words "Please continue stumbling along" that Germany were once again the masters of grinding out a result.

Lucky 13
It certainly looked that way on a night where a decimated Turkey side outdid Germany in most departments – possession, passing, shooting – save for the most important one. Though lining up with the same 4-2-3-1 formation that brought match-winning displays out of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Michael Ballack against Portugal, Germany were second-best in a first half Turkey dominated. Ballack had gone into the game with the praise of his coach warming his ears. Löw believes his captain's physical condition has never been better, nor his influence greater. A beaten UEFA Champions League finalist with Chelsea FC last month and Bayer 04 Leverkusen previously, Ballack was seeking to reach another European final and the No13 must have come out of it believing his luck might hold this time.

Mehmet shadow
Ballack barely got a kick in the opening period, however, save for the one administered on his ankle by Mehmet Aurélio, the holding midfielder assigned with shadowing him. There was only one hint of his menace, when he flicked on a Philipp Lahm cross and looked set to pounce as the ball bounced back his way only for Mehmet Topal to clear. Ballack had been keen to adopt the 4-2-3-1 system and yet it was the attacking midfielders in Turkey's identical set-up who caught the eye. Uğur Boral was a tireless presence, bombing up and down the left and squeezing the ball through Jens Lehmann's legs for the opening goal. Inside him Hamit Altıntop always appeared to have time on the ball.

Influence marginal
Thankfully for Germany, Lukas Podolski and Schweinsteiger continued their knack of producing on the big stage by combining to equalise. The influence of Ballack and his fellow attackers remained marginal in the second period, however, and with eleven minutes left that goal remained Germany's only shot on target. Then came a slice of fortune as Rüştü Reçber came out and missed Lahm's hopeful cross, allowing Miroslav Klose to head into the empty net. Rüştü, the only survivor of the Turkey team beaten in the 2002 FIFA World Cup semi-final, screamed in self-admonishment. Just as against Croatia, Semih Şentürk undid the damage, however. Germany's defence had never looked entirely comfortable and Sabrı Sarıoğlu tricked Lahm before Semih beat Lehmann at his near post.

Lahm makes amends
Yet Lahm, described by Luiz Felipe Scolari as one of the best wide players at this EURO, duly went up to the other end and made amends with his dramatic last-minute strike. When these teams last met at a major tournament – in Switzerland at the 1954 World Cup – West Germany defeated Turkey 7-2 en route to a final conquest of Hungary on a day known as the Miracle of Berne. Turkey may have been this tournament's comeback kings but from 1954 onwards, nobody has done dogged better than the Germans.