Turkey secures automatic Euro 2016 berth with stunning 89th-minute Selcuk Inan strike

Poised to nab merely a precarious Euro 2016 qualifying playoff spot, Turkish midfielder Selcuk Inan took matters into his own hands, firing home a brilliant free-kick goal from 25-yards out with a minute left in regulation in Tuesday's match against Iceland.

With a horrid start to its qualifying campaign behind it, Turkey finished qualifiers in fine form, sitting third in Group A on 18 points behind Iceland and the Czech Republic, and securing the third-place automatic berth.

Turkey's win handed it an automatic berth ahead of Hungary and Ukraine. Bound for next summer's tournament in France, it'll be Turkey's first appearance at the European Championships since 2008, when it reached the semifinals.

Minutes before Inan's heroic winner, matters appeared dire for the Turks, as a red card coupled with staunch defending from the Icelandics made the match seem destined for a scoreless draw.

Entering the game in the 62nd minute, Turkish midfielder Gokhan Tore had barely been on the pitch long enough to break a sweat before his gruesome studs-up tackle on Iceland forward Jon Dadi Bodvarsson saw the official brandish a straight red card.

Down a man but buoyed with news trickling in that Kazakhstan was up 1-0 in Latvia - dropping the Latvians to last and lifting Turkish hopes based on convoluted qualification criteria - Turkey pushed forward with reckless abandonment in search of a goal.

Fatih Terim's side's desires were satiated following a daft challenge from Kari Arnason on Umut Bulut that resulted in an advantageous free-kick just yards outside of the penalty area.

Inan did the rest, as the home crowd at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium balanced hysteria with disbelief followed by the realization that Turkey booked a place in France against all odds.