Kuhn beaten but unbowed in Basel

Switzerland coach Köbi Kuhn was coming to terms with a "huge disappointment" after watching his side surrender a half-time lead and lose to a last-gasp Arda Turan goal against Turkey – a result that revived the UEFA EURO 2008™ hopes of Fatih Terim's team but eliminated the co-hosts. Switzerland had led through Hakan Yakin amid a first-half storm but as the rain eased Terim sent on Semih Şentürk to equalise before Arda struck at the end.

Köbi Kuhn, Switzerland coach
The disappointment is huge, of course. But I can't really criticise anyone, neither the players nor anyone else. The team played as well as they could, and lost two matches in a rather unfortunate way. Today I'm not saying we were better but we had a chance to score on the counterattack, three against one, to make it 2-1, so this was unsatisfactory. But as far as commitment and the will to perform well, it was all there and there is nothing I can criticise. It is painful, yes, I thought about trying to hold on for a draw and replace players from a tactical perspective. But we didn't have much time to make up our minds and I do not regret any decision I have made. The probability of going through after a draw tonight was not very high, so I wanted to win.

Those who played up front today cannot be criticised. Eren Derdiyok is a young player and I think he did well and Hakan Yakin too. Having said that there were some options in attack that we didn't have, but what can I do? I have my hands tied, it is a matter of fact. We did have many injured players in the run-up to the tournament, four with ruptured cruciate ligaments, and we don't have that many players who can perform at this high level. So these setbacks didn't make things easy. But we prepared well, the team made every effort, kept on evolving and developing their physical strength and I have to congratulate them on what they have achieved.

Fatih Terim, Turkey coach
It is a wonderful feeling, it is very good and the players needed this for their confidence. I congratulate them too on their incredible effort. The three points give us a lot of hope for the last game in the group. We are still in the EURO, we are still here and that is very important. I said yesterday that this match was the beginning of the EURO for us. Switzerland were very difficult to defeat so this was a very important win. And you can hear what it meant to the fans. Frankly we thought some rain would be to our benefit but we didn't think it would be drenched the way it was. Yes, I did pray to God for the rain to stop!

Semih is one of our important players. Whenever he comes on the result is always good. When we made the double substitution we were behind and it was not easy to play but it worked out. Semih is a goalscorer, we always expect him to score, and he did in very well, Tuncay Şanlı is a very important player, he played 90 minutes for the second time in four days on rain-drenched turf so it showed how fit the players are. Hakan Balta, Servet Çetin, Volkan Demirel – they have played the full 90 minutes twice. They have been very good.