대회 첫 0-0 무승부를 기록한 스웨덴과 터키는 나란히 1무1패(승점 1)로 이탈리아(2승)와 벨기에(1승1패)에 이어 공동 3위에 머물러 최종 3차전에서 반드시 이겨야 하는 궁지에 몰렸다.2승을 먼저 챙긴 이탈리아는 나머지 경기에 관계없이 제일 먼저 8강 진출 확정. 

스웨덴과 터키는 20일 각각 이탈리아, 벨기에와 조별리그 최종전을 갖는다. 
 
16일(한국시간) 네덜란드 아이트호벤 필립스 스타디움에서 계속된 제11회 유럽축구선수권대회 조별리그 B조 2차전. 

 1패씩을 안고 2차전에 나선 두팀. '반드시 이겨야한다'는 부담감이 너무 컸던 탓일까.'유로96'에서 한골도 넣지 못하고 3전전패의 수모를 당했던 터키의 유럽축구선수권 1승에 대한 열망도, 잉글랜드를 따돌리고 예선5그룹 1위로 본선에 진출한 스웨덴의 자신감도 보이지 않았다. 
 
그라운드에 선 선수들의 몸놀림은 하나같이 무거워 보였다. 현란한 드리블을 자랑한다는 지난시즌 스코틀랜드리그 MVP출신 라르손(29.셀틱 FC)은 볼만 잡으면 터키 수비에게 빼앗기기 일쑤였고, '붉은 황소'라는 별명을 가진 터키 최고의 골잡이 하칸 수크루(29.갈라타사라이)는 어디에 있는지 모습조차 찾기어려웠다. 
 
이날 두 팀 모두 경기 내내 미드필드에서 지루한 공방을 펼쳤을 뿐 패스의 정확도가 떨어져 이렇다할 득점 기회를 만들지 못했다.패스는 번번이 끊겼고 선수들간 호흡도 맞지 않았다. 
 
그나마 아쉬움이 남는 팀은 보다 공격적이었던 스웨덴. 
 
스웨덴은 전반 3분 케네트 안데르손의 강력한 프리킥과 29분 라르손의 힐 패스에 이은 안데르손의 왼발슛이 터키 골키퍼 루스투의 선방에 막히며 기선 제압에 실패했다. 
 
또한 전반 41분 륭베리가 페널티지역에서 골키퍼와 맞서는 절호의 찬스를 맞았으나 수비수의 태클에 넘어지며 헛발질, 결정적 찬스를 무산시켰다. 
 
99-2000 유럽축구연맹(UEFA)컵 우승팀 갈라타사라이 선수들이 주축이 된 터키는 미드필드를 생략한채 수비에서 전방으로 한번에 연결하는 스루패스만을 경기내내 고집,이렇다 할 찬스조차 잡지못하고 경기를 마감했다. 
 
박해식/동아닷컴 기자 
 

Without kicking a ball, Italy qualified for the quarterfinals of Euro 2000 after group rivals Sweden and Turkey played to a dull scoreless draw Thursday, giving Turkey its first-ever point in a European championship final. 

In a dour and physical game in which skill was a non-factor, the two teams who had lost their opening match maintained a small chance of going through in Monday's final Group B game by plodding to a draw. 

Italy, which beat Belgium 2-0 Wednesday, leads the group with six points, ahead of the co-hosts, who have three. Turkey and Sweden have one point each. So far no Group B team is eliminated. 

Sweden plays Italy and Turkey plays Belgium in the final game. Sweden needed to win the game to keep Italy from qualifying for the second round. 

"I think it was a rather fair result," said Lars Lagerback, one of Sweden's coaches. "The match was even. We didn't have the power in the final third of the pitch to get through. 

"We tried our best and we still have a little chance if the results go our way," he said. 

Turkish coach Mustafa Denizli questioned some offside decisions by the referee and criticized Turkish fans for insulting his players. 

"We couldn't win this game, but the players gave everything," he said. "We still have some hope and we'll do everything to win the third match. 

"It was a very difficult match played at a very high tempo." 

Judging by the uninspired performance they produced Thursday, neither Sweden nor Turkey looks likely to advance. Turkey at least could claim some satisfaction for earning its first point in a European championship final. 

But a lineup stacked with players from UEFA Cup winner Galatasaray should have produced more. 

Few passes ever found their intended targets on both sides. Neither team was able to put together any meaningful combinations and the crowd booed loudly at the end of the tedious match. 

Turkey made six changes in its starting lineup after losing its opener 2-1 to Italy and receiving a barrage of criticism. Sweden made four substitutions, and brought on Henrik Larsson, just recovered from a broken leg, from the start. Larsson was used as a substitute in an opening 2-1 loss to Belgium. 

Sweden immediately put pressure on Turkey and forced a good chance in the third minute. Off a short free kick, Kennet Andersson curled a 25-yard shot around the wall and it took a good save from Rustu Recber to deflect it in a corner. 

Two minutes later, Suad Kaya was given a yellow card for kicking the ball away. 

In the 8th minute, Turkey had its first and only chance of the opening half. Hakan Sukur drifted a cross into the penalty area and instead of blasting the ball, Umit Davala tried to finesse it with the inside foot and sent it flying over the goal. 

It was indicative of the poor skill level on show from both sides. In the worst Euro 2000 game so far, both teams were paralyzed by the fear of losing and being kicked out of the tournament ahead of the final first-round game. 

Larsson showed a rare flash on skills on the half hour mark, when he backheeled a pass to the onrushing Andersson, but his low shot to the near post was well saved. 

In front of 33,000 subdued fans in Philips stadium, the game got a brief jolt of controversy: In the 41st minute, Fredrik Ljungberg claimed his foot was clipped by a defender just when he aimed to shoot after rushing through the Turkish defense with only Rustu to beat. 

Dutch referee Dick Jol shrugged off his vehement protests. 

The second half started off even worse, with neither of the two teams able to make the least impression on the opposing defense. 

Finally, Turkey realized that if it could not get close to goal, a long-distance shot was a viable option. Substitute Sergen Yalcin rifled a 24-yard shot in the 72nd minute, and Swedish goalie Magnus Hedman could only bounce it back into the path of Okan Buruk. Okan, who scored Turkey's first-ever European championship goal against Italy, this time steered the rebound over. 

After that, both sides started packing their defense even more to avoid defeat.