Germany

At the start of the tournament the Germans were the favourites to win the whole thing and they started of okay with a well drilled 2-0 win over Poland and to be honest they didn’t really have to try that hard in order to come away with the three points. Then or course came the result that shocked most people and that was the 2-0 defeat by Croatia and at this point, people started to question if the Germans had what it takes to make it through never mind win the tournament.

In the third and final game of the group stages they had to beat Austria and while they did 1-0 it was not the best of performances but the win saw them make it to the knockout stages where they would met the in form Portugal. Well I say in form, but they had lost their last group stage game v Switzerland but they had rested players so Portugal was still favourites for this game.

I also had Portugal to make it through and yet it was Germany who went 2-0 up in the first half and went on to win the game 3-2 and with a kind of performance which we are used to seeing from the Germans and maybe they have found some form as the tournament comes to its conclusion.

Turkey

Turkey have made the semi finals but not many people will no how as they have not really played what you could call great football but do have a never say die attitude which has served them well so far. It the opening game they lose easy enough to Portugal and to be honest for me the 2-0 score line should have been more. They then went on to beat the co-hosts Switzerland 2-1 with a last minute goal to set up a do or die game v the Czech Republic that looked lost when they went 2-0 down. However this do or die atatudie I was talking about served them well again and they scored three goals in the last fifteen minutes to not only win the game but make it through to the quarter finals.

So last night I managed to miss the entire first half and most of the second as I was at the cricket but did listen to the commentary on the way back and it did seem that Croatia were the better team and should have been wining the game, but it went to extra time and then with about 90 seconds left, Croatia scored and it looked like it was all over for the Turks, but a long punt up the field and then the goal went in and Turkey took the game to penalties.

Croatia decided that scoring pens or even hitting the target was not on the agenda and Turkey set up this game v Germany with a 3-1 win and once more the never say die attitude did well for them.

Verdict

Two main questions to be asked in this game and they are, will Turkey have enough to go through and keep lady luck shining down on them and is the price on Germany value for money.

Now Turkey have suspensions and injuries and for me are just not good enough to beat Germany who while still not really setting the tournament on fire will be too strong for the Turks.

So the price on a Germany win @ 1.44 seems fair enough and I just really cannot see past a German win here.

The Pick :

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Pick Germany to win @ 1.44