Deflected goal caps worst night of Mueller's career

BASEL: Patrick Mueller was in despair after co-host Switzerland became the first side to be eliminated from Euro 2008 when he deflected in Turkey's stoppage-time winner on Wednesday.

Turkey's 2-1 victory in Group A provided a cruel end to the finals for the 31-year-old, who fought a major battle just to make it into his country's squad.

Sidelined for Olympique Lyon after tearing a cruciate knee ligament in December, Mueller walked out on the French champion without permission last month to prove his fitness at Switzerland's pre-tournament training camp.

"To have waited so long to get into the squad and then to be here and be able to play and then this, I think it has to be the worst night of my football career," Mueller told reporters.

"We've had two games and two defeats and that's it, we're out. Now we just have to hope we can hold our heads up for our last game against Portugal (on Sunday) because we want our last picture of this European Championship to be a positive one."

Turkey midfielder Arda Turan ended the Swiss team's title dream five days into the tournament when his powerful 92nd-minute strike glanced off the defender's calf and over the head of keeper Diego Benaglio.

"I felt the ball hit my leg and I think if it hadn't it would have gone straight into the hands of Benaglio," said Mueller.

"Perhaps we risked too much trying to win the game but to be winning 1-0 and then lose the match on two counter-attacks is very disappointing."

Switzerland coach Koebi Kuhn was devastated after the co-host was knocked out.

"It's a very, very big disappointment," Kuhn said. "That hurts.

"The whole country is probably as disappointed as the team. You hope for so much and go out. At the end of the day it's not enough.

"That's football. But the existence of Switzerland will probably not be endangered by getting knocked out."

The 64-year-old said his side missed too many opportunities in a match played in teeming rain.

"We didn't take advantage of the chances we had," said the coach. "But there's no blame on the team. They did everything they could. We just didn't have enough good fortune.

"We'll wrap up the tournament in good fashion against Portugal (on Sunday) and then for me it'll be time to put my feet up."

Midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta echoed Kuhn's views.

"It's hard to know what to say because I thought even in the second half we didn't play badly," said Barnetta.

"We had lots of chances, they had three chances and scored twice. It's very difficult to accept but that's it, it's over."

Swiss striker Eren Derdiyok said the dressing room was almost silent after the match.

"In the changing room after the game it was very quiet," he said. "We're all very disappointed.

"From two half-chances they scored twice. Of course that's really bitter."

Agencies

(China Daily 06/13/2008 page24)