ANKARA, June 24: Public workers in Turkey will get the afternoon off Wednesday to watch the national soccer team’s semifinal against Brazil, the prime minister announced Monday.

State-run Anatolian news agency said Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit had announced a half-day holiday for public workers to coincide with the match, set for 1130 GMT on Wednesday.

Thousands of Turks poured onto the streets on Saturday when Turkey beat Senegal 1-0 to win a place in the semifinals in their first appearance in the World Cup since 1954.—Reuters