Basel: Philipp Lahm ended Turkey's storybook run in the European Championship on Wednesday by scoring a 90th-minute goal to give Germany a 3-2 semi-final victory and keep them on target for a record fourth title.
With two goals in the final five minutes, the match could have gone either way, but after three thrilling comeback victories in a row for Turkey, it was Germany's day.
First, Semih Senturk kept Turkey in the game with an 86th-minute equaliser. He beat Jens Lehmann at the near post after surging in to deflect a low cross from Sabri Sarioglu, who had fooled Lahm with a classy move.
With the Turkish fans wildly celebrating, Lahm immediately sought and found redemption to decide a classic.
He cut in from left, set up a one-two with Thomas Hitzlsperger, collected the ball and shot it past Rustu Recber to unleash the joy of about 20,000 German fans at St Jakob Park.
"We have caught the winning mood and can get the title now," Germany coach Joachim Loew said.
In the first half, Ugur Boral gave Turkey the lead in the 22nd, but Bastian Schweinsteiger equalised in the 26th.
Miroslav Klose seemed to have closed out the match for Germany in the 79th.
Lahm sent a long cross into the penalty area, where Klose cut in front of Mehmet Topal and a hopelessly out of position Recber to head into the empty net.
The Germans, however, were not counting on the resilience of a Turkish team which never gives up.
But this time, even Senturk's second late goal in as many matches was not enough. Germany, too, are long known as a team which plays full-out until the final whistle.
Germany will play the winner of Thursday's second semi-final match between Spain and Russia in Vienna on Sunday.
Turkey dominated most of the match despite four suspensions and five injuries, proving their run of extraordinary comeback victories were no fluke.
With a fully fit team, Germany struggled throughout as captain Michael Ballack could not inspire the forward line.
"We had no clear line in our game," Loew said.
Turkey was inspirational, though. Taking a cross from the right, Kazim Kazim slid in front of defender Per Mertesacker and sent a looping shot past Lehmann onto the bar.
Boral was waiting for the rebound and rifled it through the goalkeeper's legs.
Grapple and grasp as Lehmann might, the ball bounced over the line and yet another upset win seemed in the making.
The Turks have proved the comeback kids throughout the tournament but holding an early lead proved impossible.
Germany instead showed off their legendary efficiency by scoring on their first chance of the match four minutes later.
Lukas Podolski broke away on the left and sent a perfect low cross to Bayern teammate Schweinsteiger in the center.
With an almost nonchalant flick of the outside right foot, he beat Topal to the ball and curled it past Recber.
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