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CHELSEA FC: BALLACK'S IN THE EURO FINAL

/noticias.info/ Michael Ballack's Germany secured their place in the final of Euro 2008 last night thanks to Philipp Lahm's last minute winner, which saw Turkey expelled from the competition.

Ballack will now lead his nation in Sunday's European Championship Final following the 3-2 defeat of Turkey.

Lahm latched onto Thomas Hitzlsperger's pass to beat Rustu Recber and give Ballack's side victory after a thrilling game in which it could be argued Turkey were the better side.

Ballack led Germany out to a shaky start at St. Jakob Park in Basel as Fenerbahcé's Kazin-Richards hit the post inside the first 12 minutes for Turkey.

Within 10 minutes of that chance, Richards had another shot which bounced off the bar and into the path of Ugur Boral, another Fernebahcé man, who forced the ball underneath Jens Lehmann's legs for the opener.

Five minutes later the scores were level as Lukas Podolski picked up a long ball down the left before crossing for Bastian Schweinsteiger who lifted a shot over Rustu Recber with the edge of his right foot.

But Germany wouldn't take the lead until the second half when, with 11 minutes to go, a Rustu error saw him fail to collect Lahm's cross before Miroslav Klose headed Germany in front.

However, a depleted Turkish side soon fought back with only four minutes remaining when yet another Fernebahcé man, Semih Sentürk, stole in to convert a Sabri Sarioglu cross at the near post.

But as Turkey began to believe the game would go into extra time, something they would have deserved, their campaign ended in heartbreak during the 90th minute.

Lahm broke forward and exchanged passes with Hitzlsperger before firing the ball past Rustu.

The win takes Ballack, Chelsea's remaining player in Euro 2008, into the final to face either Russia or Spain on Sunday.

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