Czech Republic 0
Turkey 2 (Yilmaz 10', Tufan 65')
LENS, France // Turkey snatched a Euro 2016 lifeline with a 2-0 victory over Czech Republic on Tuesday that secured third place in Group D and left them waiting to see if they had done enough to reach the last 16.
After defeats to Croatia and Spain in their first two games, goals by Burak Yilmaz and Ozan Tufan gave the rejuvenated Turks hope, although they need results to go their way when the group stage concludes on Wednesday.
Should they go through, Turkey will face either Wales in Paris or hosts France in Lyon. The Czechs, however, will definitely go home, having finished bottom of the group with one point from three matches.
The Turks opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Arda Turan sent Emre Mor scampering away down the right before he crossed for Burak Yilmaz, who ghosted in to send a simple first-time shot from close range flying past Petr Cech.
More Euro 2016
Related: Turkey add a little flare to their last 16 hopes after beating Czech Republic
Read also: Holders Spain suffer first Euros defeat in 15 matches as Croatia top Group D with 2-1 win
The Czechs almost levelled soon afterwards when Borek Dockal headed against the foot of the post and Tomas Necid could not reach the rebound, before the latter awkwardly volleyed another good chance over 10 minutes later.
Although Turkey looked a lot more resilient than they had in their opening two games, they were on the back foot for much of the first half and the Czechs had plenty of chances to score.
Full back Pavel Kaderabek missed two great opportunities, firing a shot that Turkey keeper Volkan Babacan saved with his foot before the defender blazed wide following a slick attack down the right.
Babacan also pushed a stinging shot from Jaroslav Plasil wide as the Czechs started to find some space on the flanks.
Turkey came out all guns blazing in the second half and Emre Mor could have put them two up as he picked up a long ball and drifted in from the right before clipping a shot just over.
Yet seconds later Babacan had to make another smart save at the other end from Vladimir Darida.
Moments after Turkey were raging at an offside call that went against them, Ozan Tufan sent thousands of Turkish fans into ecstasy as Mehmet Topal teed him up to smash an unstoppable shot into the top corner from a tight angle.
The goal was greeted by a half-dozen flares lighting up the Turkish end of the ground, with some being thrown onto the pitch during the ear-splitting celebrations.
Their spirits lifted by the goal, the Turks battled for every ball in a superb defensive effort, never letting the Czechs settle as they weathered the storm to hold on for a precious victory.
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Series info
Test series schedule 1st Test, Abu Dhabi: Sri Lanka won by 21 runs; 2nd Test, Dubai: Play starts at 2pm, Friday-Tuesday
ODI series schedule 1st ODI, Dubai: October 13; 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 16; 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 18; 4th ODI, Sharjah: October 20; 5th ODI, Sharjah: October 23
T20 series schedule 1st T20, Abu Dhabi: October 26; 2nd T20, Abu Dhabi: October 27; 3rd T20, Lahore: October 29
Tickets Available at www.q-tickets.com
Stat Fourteen Fourteen of the past 15 Test matches in the UAE have been decided on the final day. Both of the previous two Tests at Dubai International Stadium have been settled in the last session. Pakistan won with less than an hour to go against West Indies last year. Against England in 2015, there were just three balls left.
Key battle - Azhar Ali v Rangana Herath Herath may not quite be as flash as Muttiah Muralitharan, his former spin-twin who ended his career by taking his 800th wicket with his final delivery in Tests. He still has a decent sense of an ending, though. He won the Abu Dhabi match for his side with 11 wickets, the last of which was his 400th in Tests. It was not the first time he has owned Pakistan, either. A quarter of all his Test victims have been Pakistani. If Pakistan are going to avoid a first ever series defeat in the UAE, Azhar, their senior batsman, needs to stand up and show the way to blunt Herath.
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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
