Turkey win takes tournament to fresh peaks

By Mike Collett - Analysis

GENEVA (Reuters) - Turkey's pulsating 3-2 win over Czech Republic brought the curtain down on Group A in exceptional circumstances on Sunday night as Euro 2008 continued to produce yet another unlikely drama.

As befits a tournament being staged in the Alpine nations of Switzerland and Austria, the players appear to be scaling new peaks of excitement and entertainment in almost every match.

With 18 of the 31 scheduled games completed -- and with three first round groups still to be completed and the knockout stage to come, the tournament is shaping up as the best European Championship since the finals were first held in 1960.

The opening 18 games have produced 46 goals -- the same number as in Belgium and Netherlands at the same stage in 2000 -- and five more than at this stage in Portugal four years ago.

KEY AREAS

The first 18 matches in Euro' 96, the first 16-team finals, produced 36 goals -- but even though every tournament is special and every one produces memorable moments, none has quite matched this one in a number of key areas.

These include the type of football being played by almost every team. Apart from one or two exceptions, fans have been treated to fast, open, attacking action.

The players are, in general, showing respect for each other and to the officials, and have been concentrating on producing football of the highest technical calibre rather than arguing about this decision or that.