There were no car horns, cheering fans or celebratory gun fire in the Turkish capital in Istanbul on Thursday. Turkey's 3-2 loss to Germany in the European Championship semifinals saw to that. Turkey's largest city fell almost silent after a last-minute goal by Philipp Lahm ended the nations' surprise run of comebacks and shock wins. Crowds that had gathered at major squares across the city dispersed quietly after the final whistle at the St. Jakob Park in Basel, Switzerland. Wednesday's events contrasted starkly to previous match days during the tournament, where Turkey made three incredible comebacks to send tens of thousands in Turkey marching to the streets. In Istanbul's Taksim square, thousands watched the Germany game on a huge TV screen, many clutching national flags and getting ready for what they expected would be an all-night party in the heart of city. Hopes were raised when Turkey lead 1-0 in the first half and again in the 86th when Semih Senturk equalised for 2-2, but Lahm struck late on to mark the end of Turkey's tale. When the referee whistled to signal the end of the game, even the Turkish TV announcer could not find words. He simply said, "It's over."
