DARIJO Srna didn't just cry, he wailed.

He crashed down heavily on the Vienna turf and howled in despair.

His manager, Slaven Bilic, knelt down next to him and tenderly stroked the back of his head.

But what could he say to console him?

What could anyone say to make sense of it all?

Conquerors of England, vanquishers of Germany, Croatia are out of Euro08 and it's all because of Turkey and their astonishing refusal to ever give up on a fight.

One goal down with less than a minute on the clock and still they would not yield.

They say that it ain't over until the fat lady sings. But from what we've seen in the last fortnight, it appears that she is contractually obliged to keep it zipped until Fatih Terim gives her the nod.

Just as they did against Switzerland and the Czech Republic, Turkey struck their mortal blow right at the end of the game.

They mustered just one solitary shot on target in

90 minutes, but then grew in strength through extra-time, finally making Stipe Pletikosa work for his wages.

They seem to have superhuman reserves of energy to carry them through to the final whistle and they fight for every ball as if someone's life depends on it.

Terim is always willing to make a bold substitution, rather than closing a game down, as he demonstrated in the 76th minute, when he hauled off defensive midfielder Mehmet Topal for Semih Senturk and what a vital change it turned out to be.

The Turkish fans must have feared the worst when Luka Modric capitalised on a Rustu Recber meltdown at the end of extra-time, lofting the ball over the stricken goalkeeper for Ivan Klasnic to head into an empty net.

Bilic, knowing that one final change could bring the final whistle, grabbed the nearest substitute he could and gestured frantically at the fourth official, but to no avail.

The ball went out of play for a second time and Bilic screamed once more for someone to acknowledge his request, by now almost waving his substitute in the air on the touchline.

Still he was ignored.

The Turks picked up the ball and surged forward, substitute Semih evaded the challenge of a pack of Croatian defenders and, with the last kick of the match, lashed the ball to the back of the net!

Bilic, quite understandably, went absolutely mental, charging at the fourth official and gesturing wildly at his face.

If he gets away with that, and his subsequent tantrum at the referee, I'll be very surprised.

There was only ever going to be one winner in the shoot-out and you had to feel for poor Modric as he stepped up for the first spot-kick.

The little midfielder had battled valiantly, never complaining about the rough handling he received from the Turks, always pushing back and trying to open up the game.

He chipped his penalty wide of the post, crushing any faint hopes of a Croatian recovery, but at the same time proving that he is perfect for English football.

Turkey, furthering the theory of inevitability, made no mistakes, stepping up confidently and slamming home as if it was a training session.

The Turks are the success story of the tournament.

INJURIES

Whatever else happens next week, they will go home with the knowledge that they have delighted the watching world with their indefatigability.

Written off by all but someone very close to you, they have made the final four.

They will now face Germany in Basel.

But their odds will be even longer than before thanks to a series of cards and injuries that have robbed them of half the first-choice team.

Up against the pre-tournament favourites who will be fresh from their victory over Portugal, do they have even a chance of victory?

Maybe not, but after tonight, you'll have a hard job finding anyone brave enough to write them off.