INNSBRUCK (Reuters) - Czech Republic leave Euro 2008 feeling shell-shocked and bemused at how they let a quarter-final place slip through their fingers in a final few minutes of madness.

Leading 2-0 with 15 minutes to go, they had a last-eight place firmly within their grasp on Sunday before Turkey stunned them with three quick goals that left their dreams in tatters and their coach lost for an explanation.

"The third goal marked a total collapse, which I cannot explain. I will not forget this for a very long time," Karel Brueckner told a news conference after what was his last match in charge before retiring.

The absence of injured playmaker Tomas Rosicky had already knocked the team before the championship had even started but the Czechs refused to dwell on it and took comfort from the fact that in Petr Cech they had one of the world's best goalkeepers.

All the more shocking, then, that the man who had saved them on so many other occasions should make a rare blunder that handed Turkey an equaliser three minutes from time and gave them the momentum to score another to send the Czechs home.

"I am going to be upset about this for a long time, especially because it was my mistake that decided the match," newspaper Blesk quoted Cech as saying after he inexplicably dropped the ball at Nihat Kahveci's feet.

DISAPPOINTING SHOWING

Living up to the pulsating performances that took them to the semi-finals of Euro 2004 was always going to be hard when the core of the magical midfield -- Pavel Nedved, Karel Poborsky and Vladimir Smicer -- had all retired.

Some fans, and several newspaper columnists, would argue the writing was already on the wall for a disappointing showing this time round after an up-and-down qualifying campaign.

The fact that Milan Baros, winner of the golden boot four years ago, had forgotten how to locate the back of the net left Brueckner relying on 35-year-old Jan Koller as the lone striker.

The tall Koller was ineffective in the lucky 1-0 win over co-hosts Switzerland in the first Group A match, prompting Brueckner to make the surprise move of reinstating Baros in the starting XI for the match against Portugal.

Although they lost that match 3-1, they were buoyed by a much-improved performance that showed the beginnings of a coherent attack, thanks to an injection of pace from Baros and some creative thinking from midfielder Marek Matejovsky.

Brueckner brought back Koller for the final match and he paid his coach back with his 55th goal in 90 appearances, but along with defensive midfielder Tomas Galasek, the striker has hung up his international boots on a heart-breaking note.

(Editing by Jon Bramley)