Plenty to savour from varied clashes

Two great games, two penalty shoot-outs, two unexpected winners and two unforgettable, mad minutes - the quarter-finals kept the drama going at Euro 2008.

Three of the four teams who topped the qualifying groups are already at home and the fourth, Spain, scraped through only on penalties to join Germany, Russia and Turkey in a last-four line-up that would have attracted handsome odds three weeks ago.

Steeped in a tradition of reaching the latter stages of major tournaments, it is no surprise that Germany should be in the last four, where they face Fatih Terim's Turkey.

Having stuttered through, Germany rediscovered their swagger against a Portugal side who had looked polished in their advance.

Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose and Michael Ballack scored in the 3-2 win but there was a thrilling finale as Portugal threw everyone forward in search of an equaliser.

The next game featured a two-minute cameo that will live long in the memory. Croatia seemed set to advance when Ivan Klasnic headed them into a 1-0 lead in the 119th minute, only for Turkey's Semih Senturk to level with the last kick of the match.

Pandemonium ensued as the distraught Croatians had to drag themselves from the depths of despair and, to nobody's great surprise, failed to do so as the Turks won the shoot-out 3-1.

Croatia coach Slaven Bilic said he and his players would be haunted by the final two minutes for the rest of their lives.

Turkey paid a high price for their commitment with several players suspended and another four injured to severely limit their chances of reaching the final for the first time.

Russia looked unlikely semi-finalists when they began the tournament with a 4-1 defeat by Spain but they will face the same opponents in the last four full of confidence after a convincing 3-1 victory over the Netherlands.

The Dutch, like Portugal and Croatia, had rested most of their first-choice team for their final group game and the move backfired again as they failed to find their rhythm in the face of relentless attacks from their inventive opponents.

They were fortunate to take the game into extra-time after Ruud van Nistelrooy's late equaliser to Roman Pavlyuchenko's opener. But Russia got what they deserved with goals from Dmitry Torbinsky and Andrei Arshavin, whose return from suspension has revolutionised their play.

The Netherlands, who looked so good in beating world champions Italy and France, ran out of ideas and energy and were tactically undone by Russia's Dutch coach Guus Hiddink.

The last quarter-final could not have been more different as Spain and Italy cautiously poked and probed at each other without showing any real willingness to attack and it was little surprise that 120 minutes failed to produce a goal.

Spain, who had lost three previous quarter-finals on penalties, all on June 22, ended the hoodoo 4-2 in the June 22 shoot-out to reach their first semi-final in 24 years.