An incredible late solo goal by Ivan Perisic gave Croatia victory against the holders and first place in UEFA Euro 2016 Group D, leaving Spain to face Italy in the round of 16.
Croatia knew before kick-off that they were definitely through along with Spain thanks to Northern Ireland’s loss to Germany, and there were five changes to the team that drew with the Czech Republic, partly enforced by injuries to Luka Modric and Mario Mandzukic.
The holders had the same XI for the third game running and their understanding paid dividends in the first seven minutes as Alvaro Morata, on the day he officially returned to Real Madrid, claimed his third goal of the finals by finishing off a pass from Cesc Fabregas after a flowing move that began in defence.
Nikola Kalinic then forced David de Gea to work, and Ivan Rakitic looped the ball on to the crossbar and off the post; Croatia were giving Spain a sterner test than in their previous matches. And just before half-time they were rewarded when a fine move culminated with a volleyed back-heel finish by Kalinic.
That pattern continued in the second half when a high-pressing Croatia game knocked Andres Iniesta off his stride for the first time in these finals, coupled with some superb skill in attack to get around the Spain defence.
It seemed Spain would win when David Silva was fouled for a penalty but France-based Danijel Subasic brilliantly denied Sergio Ramos. Then Perisic beat the Spain defence and produced a cool finish to complete the turnaround.
Turkey evoked their dramatic comebacks of Euro 2008 to beat the Czech Republic 2-0 at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis and give themselves the chance of a last-16 spot as one of the four best third-placed teams here in France.
Burak Yılmaz and Ozan Tufan scored each side of half-time as Fatih Terim’s men overhauled a Czech outfit chasing a win themselves to secure their own qualification for the knockout stage. Instead the team in turquoise eliminated them, just as they had eight years ago in Geneva.
Turkey’s first goal at these finals was easy on the eye, if not the ears given the majority pro-Turkish crowd. Arda Turan released Emre Mor down the right and his cross was perfect for Burak to smash first time past Petr Cech. It was Burak’s eighth goal in his last 11 internationals.
Tomas Sivok, one of three Turkey-based players in the Czech side alongside Tomas Necid and David Pavelka, nearly produced a quick equaliser with a header against the post.
And despite Turkey always looking dangerous on the counter, the lost opportunities piled up at the other end: Pavel Kaderabek shooting at Volkan Babacan, Necid prodding over and Jaroslav Plasil seeing a long-range strike tipped over.
Neither team was close to qualification at the halfway stage in Lens. Emre might have made things clearer but fired over after an exciting diagonal surge while Vladimír Darida and Necid gave Volkan more work to do.
Crucially, however, Ozan Tufan brought a bit more definition to the qualifying picture on 65 minutes when he blasted home after Mehmet Topal had nudged Selcuk Inan’s free-kick back towards him.
