Germany coach
Joachim Loew praised his side's morale and winning mentality after snatching a
late 3-2 victory over Turkey to reach the Euro 2008 final, dpa reported.
"We are hugely happy to have won this semi-final. It is a great feeling.
It was an amazing fight and incredibly dramatic," he said.
"After Turkey levelled at 2-2 we had the morale to get forward and
score."
Loew praised the Turkish team who had taken the lead, only to go behind and
again score a late goal from Semih Senturk, who struck in the 86th minute to
level at 2-2.
However, three-time winners Germany fought back to score a winner through
defender Philipp Lahm in the 90th minute to reach a sixth European final.
"It was a hard-fought battle, and the Turkish team were outstanding,"
Loew said.
"They are a technically good team if you allow them to play, which was why
it was very difficult for us to get a grip on the game in some phases. We
scored three goals, and that was decisive."
Loew chose the same formation that started in Germany's 3-2 quarter-final
victory over Portugal, retaining a 4-2-3-1 system rather than his customary
4-4-2, but his five-man midfield failed to control the Turks, who had the
better of the exchanges.
"We lost possession quite a lot right from the start and took ourselves
out of the game," Loew said.
"A second player up front would have done us good. I have to say we
weren't compact in midfield. There were a few spaces there, and the Turks combined
well.
"Today we certainly showed this (winning) mentality. It was really
difficult to cope with their goal for 2-2. That the team hit right back shows
their morale, and then it was a classy, well-made goal."
Turkey had taken the lead in the 22nd minute through Ugur Boral, only for
Bastian Schweinsteiger to equalize four minutes later.
Lahm, who had earlier provided the cross for Miroslav Klose to head Germany in front in the 79th minute, won the man-of-the-match award.
He said his winning goal was the most important of his international career.
"I got a good first touch and then scored the goal. There's a lot of
emotion that comes out," he said.
"After going out of the 2006 (World Cup) semi-final (to Italy), we are delighted to have made it to the final."