Scorer: Nihat Kahveci 43

Halftime: 1-0

Striker Nihat Kahveci scored just before halftime to give Turkey a 1-0 win over Bosnia on Wednesday and a place in the 2008 European Championship finals.

Turkey finished second in Group C, behind Greece who had already secured their place before Wednesday's final qualifying matches. Norway, beaten 2-1 by Turkey on Saturday, finished third one point behind the Turks after a 4-1 win in Malta.

Nihat scored in the 43rd minute when Hamit Altintop found him with a cross and the Villarreal striker fired beyond Bosnia keeper Adnan Guso into the corner of the net.

The result was a huge relief to Turkey, World Cup semi-finalists in 2002, after they failed to reach the finals of the last European Championship and the 2006 World Cup.

"This is an important success," Turkey coach Fatih Terim said. "All the teams (in Euro 2008) are strong. It is up to Turkey to take on a role at the tournament."

Nihat's goal came from a string of chances which fell to the striker, who was a constant threat to the Bosnian defence.

Bosnia were content to sit back in defence and hit Turkey on the counter-attack but only managed a couple of efforts on goal. Midfielder Zvjezdan Misimovic went close in the 42nd minute with a long-range effort which flew just over the bar.

Teams:

Turkey: 1-Rustu Recber; 18-Gokhan Gonul, 21-Emre Asik, 2-Servet Cetin, 3-Hakan Kadir Balta; 22-Hamit Altintop, 7-Mehmet Aurelio, 5-Emre Belozoglu, 14-Arda Turan (17-Tuncay Sanli 76); 8-Nihat Kahveci (20-Gokdeniz Karadeniz 90+1), 11-Semih Senturk (25-Sabri Sarioglu 61)

Bosnia: 1-Adnan Guso; 21-Senidad Ibricic (14-Vedat Ibisevic 75), 13-Safet Nadarevic, 2-Dzemal Berberovic, 3-Samir Merzic (8-Veldin Muharemovic 89); 5-Branimir Bajic, 6-Branislav Krunic, 11-Darko Maletic, 10-Zvjezdan Misimovic; 25-Elvir Rahimic, 23-Edin Dzeko (17-Sejad Salihovic 83)

Referee: Eric Braamhaar (Netherlands)