AustriaTurkey
European Championship – Matchday 1 – 02/07/24 – 21:00
timeiconplayerhomeTimehomeIconhomePlayerscoreawayPlayerawayIconawayTime
1′
Merih Demiral
0 – 1
Merih Demiral
1′
59′
Merih Demiral
0 – 2
Merih Demiral
59′
66′
Michael Gregoritsch
66′
Michael Gregoritsch
1 – 2
One fairytale continues for a while, the other is over. After a spectacular duel against fellow revelation Austria, Turkey is in the quarterfinals. Merih Demiral crowned himself the unexpected hero by scoring twice, goalkeeper Mert Günok prevented an equalizer with a phenomenal save in the final seconds. Now the Netherlands awaits Turkey.
Highlights Austria – Turkey
Austria – Turkey in a nutshell:
Deep into extra time, Austria’s persistent pressure finally seems to pay off. On a pass from Prass, Baumgartner heads Austria into extra time, but Mert Günok is not counting on that. With a world-class save, he sends the Turks into ecstasy and the Austrians into ashes.
Superlatives fail to describe Merih Demiral’s game. Not only was he decisive by scoring twice, the defender also played a crucial role for Turkey at the back with several strong interventions.
Euro 2024 already produced the fastest European Championship goal ever thanks to Nedim Bajrami, the Albanian scored after just 23 seconds in the group match against Italy. Now the fastest goal ever in the knockout phase of the European Championship has also been added. Thanks to Merih Demiral, who scored tonight after just 57 seconds.
Blitzstart gives Turkey wings and cripples Austria
0-1 after just 57 seconds. Turkey had a dream start, thanks to a blunder by Austria. After a corner, Baumgartner unluckily worked the ball against Posch. Goalkeeper Pentz was just able to prevent an own goal, but in the second half Demiral fired the ball high into the goal.
In a match that started off at breakneck speed, Baumgartner came close to equalising twice before the first five minutes were up. First, he aimed a long-range shot just wide and then, with a bit of luck, Demiral was able to prevent him from scoring from a corner.
Turkey played with great dedication and the Turkish supporters also did their bit by booing the Austrians en masse when they had possession of the ball. They seemed a bit upset and escaped when Yilmaz, despite a great move, did not play out a counter well.
Austria could not get a grip on the game and came up against a solid defensive block from the Turks. It was not until just before half-time that Baumgartner came to the fore again when he shot just wide of a low cross from Posch in one go.
Günok’s brilliant save takes Turkey to the last eight
The break did Austria good, because with Gregoritsch and Prass as newcomers in the team, they immediately grabbed Turkey by the throat in the second half. Arnautovic came closest to the equalizer, but he only aimed at the goalkeeper in front of Günok.
Just when Turkey saw stars and the 1-1 was in the air, Austria got an icy shower on the hour. Again the Turks struck mercilessly on a corner and again Demiral was the Austrian bogeyman. He towered above everyone at the first post and headed unstoppably into the net.
Another huge setback for Austria, but they recovered a few minutes later. On a corner, Posch extended the ball excellently to Gregoritsch and, completely free at the far post, the substitute gave Austria hope again with the connecting goal.
For Turkey it was suddenly sink or swim under the continuous pressure of the Austrians. In the final phase this also opened up perspectives for Turkey on the counter, but Pentz kept Austria alive on a shot from Yilmaz.
But the saving grace of the evening and perhaps of the European Championship came deep into extra time. Baumgartner seemed to be heading Austria into extra time at the last minute, but Günok put a stop to that with a phenomenal reflex.
The massive Turkish supporters went crazy, their team will face the Netherlands in the quarter finals on Saturday. Austria has to leave after a thrilling match.
Sadness in the Austrian camp: “We did not deserve elimination”
- Michael Gregoritsch: “I am very disappointed and sad. We did not deserve to lose today. Of course we can be proud of our tournament, but this elimination is particularly difficult to process. We gave everything today, we did not deserve to be knocked out of the European Championship. We now have to take a vacation and stay away from football. It will be difficult to recover, but everything goes on.”
- Marko Arnautovic: “This is terrible. When you lose because the opponent was very dominant, you have to accept that. But this is painful because we did not deserve to be eliminated. We played a very strong game, but that’s how it goes in football. We have to congratulate Turkey, I wish them luck in the rest of the tournament. I am not worried about our team. This team can achieve a lot in the future. We will recharge our batteries and in a few months we will forget about this. But now it is just very painful.”
Related:
Step by step
End
The Turks go wild in Leipzig after a thrilling match. They will advance to the quarter finals and will face the Netherlands. Demiral made the difference with two goals, each time from a corner. After Gregoritsch’s connecting goal, Turkey saw stars under the persistent pressure from Austria, but the Turks did not crack. Not even deep into extra time when Günok made a phenomenal save to keep Baumgartner from making it 2-2.
The corner yields nothing for Austria! It’s over! Turkey goes to the quarterfinals, Austria is in sackcloth and ashes.
What a save from Günok!
Unbelievable! Baumgartner comes exceptionally close to equalising with a great header, but Günok pulls off a phenomenal save and heads the ball into a corner.
Turkish goalkeeper makes world-class save in the final seconds
Pentz keeps Austria alive
Yilmaz can decide the match in a quick switch. He shakes off Wöber and shoots in the sixteen, but Pentz keeps it exciting with a great save.
Turkey still gets a chance
Austria throws everything into the battle in the end
Another nervous game in the Turkish sixteen on a cross from Wöber. Gregoritsch’s header doesn’t quite come out and Yokuslu can clear the ball.
Urgent final phase
Austria will have four more minutes of added time to force extra time. The Turks will have to survive for another four minutes to reach the quarter finals.
There will be 4 minutes of added time.
Quarterfinals approaching for Turkey
Another header chance for Baumgartner, but again his attempt is not framed. He heads over, Turkey has survived another difficult phase and is creeping ever closer to a place in the quarter finals.
Baumgartner heads wide
Another chance for Austria. Günok goes under a high cross and Baumgartner can head it, but his attempt also fails to give the right direction.
Turkish goalkeeper under the ball, Baumgartner heads wide
Time is running out for Austria, for Turkey it has been sink or swim for a while now. They are all sinking a little bit in Leipzig, because it is raining cats and dogs.
Ayhan with crucial interventions
Ayhan keeps the Turks on their feet twice. First he clears a dangerous cross from Gregoritsch and not much later he fires the ball over the back line via Baumgartner after another tense phase in the sixteen.
As much confidence as the Turks had in the first half and after the 2-0, they are now having a hard time.
Eddy Demarez
2024-07-02 21:20:19
#Turkey #advances #intense #duel #Austria #double #Demiral #world #save #final #minute
