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Shots fired into the air as fans celebrate back home in Turkey

Turkey soccer fans dance in Ankara early yesterday morning to celebrate their team's victory over Croatia in the Euro 2008 quarter-finals. PHOTO: AP

Turkish soccer fans could not restrain themselves on Friday as they fired celebratory shots into the air, despite pleas from Turkey coach Fatih Terim not to, after their team reached the Euro 2008 semi-finals for the first time.

The fans could not believe that their side had once again come from behind to win — this time scoring in time added on to tie Croatia 1-1 and then win 3-1 on penalties.

“It is important not to transform victory into tragedy,” Terim, otherwise known as “The Emperor,” had said after two people, including a 10-year-old girl, were wounded by bullets following their remarkable 3-2 group win over the Czech Republic, that saw them come back from 2-0 down.

Victory was greeted in the Istanbul quarter of Besiktas, which is home to one of the three great clubs of the city, by such a noise that it made the windows tremble.

“Turkey is the greatest,” “Red? White! [the colors of the national flag],” yelled the crowd amidst a cacophony of noise of car horns and klaxons, while the night sky was lit up by lights shining from giant projectors.

Thousands of supporters continued to make their way to Taksim Square, the center of Istanbul’s nightlife, on the European bank of the Bosphorus, which was clouded in smoke emanating from torches and fireworks.

Similar scenes of joyous celebration — probably not seen in a sporting context since the 2002 World Cup when Turkey reached the semi-finals — were seen all round the major towns and cities in the country.

In Ankara, a huge crowd, a lot of them draped in the national flag, descended on Kizilay Square — in the center of the city — and danced the “halay,” a traditional Turkish dance, toasting the success of Terim and his players.
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