Turkey are in the semifinals. In their four games so far, they've had the lead for about two minutes in total. It doesn't matter how long you're behind so long as you finish ahead. Better late than out.

All the pre-game talk was of Holland putting out a weakened side against Romania. It was a different side, to be sure. And it won 2-0. No conspiracies, no compromises, no concessions. Three games, three wins. Twenty-three players, one team.

It's the 24th minute of Italy vs. France. A fierce rivalry. A game of survival in the infamous group of death. Man down in the box. The ref blows the whistle. It's a penalty, for Italy. The entire country stands still. Some pray. Some can't even watch. Enter Andrea Pirlo. He coolly steps up. ...

With 75 minutes gone, Turkey were 0-2 down, dead and buried. Then Arda Turan cracks in a goal. A lifeline. 87 minutes, Nihat Kahveci scores. And while everyone else was waiting for penalties, he scored again. Cancel the wake. Book the party.