This time it wasn’t the Austrians who had a dream start, but their opponents. After 57 seconds, Demiral pushed the ball under the crossbar after a corner from Real Madrid young star Arda Güler and a ping-pong action involving the protagonists Baumgartner, Stefan Posch and goalie Patrick Pentz. It was the fastest goal in the history of the European Championship in a knockout match. Austria had the chance to equalize straight away through Baumgartner, but he narrowly missed.
After the break, the ÖFB team pushed for a 1:1, but Marko Arnautovic also missed in front of Günok (51′). Turkey, on the other hand, scored again through Demiral after a Güler corner (59′). “Joker” Gregoritsch also scored after a corner (67′), which led to a heated finish in the rain in Leipzig. Austria played power play, but unlike the 6:1 in a friendly match in March, Turkey did not allow themselves to be duped this time. Baumgartner had the equalizer with his head, but in the end Günok sensationally fished the ball out (95′).
Austria – Türkiye: Günok reflex saves Turks (90.+5)
The goalie saves Turkey’s advancement to the quarter-finals with a brilliant save.
Austria, which lost 2-1 to eventual European champions Italy in the round of 16 in 2021, is still waiting for a win in a knockout match since 1954, while Turkey is playing for its first European Championship semi-final since 2008. Their opponents are the Netherlands in Berlin, where the ÖFB team had recently underlined its role as “secret favorites.” In an emotional match as expected, Rangnick’s team now landed on the bitter ground of reality.
From fireworks to fan marches
Because anticipation is the greatest joy, the fans were able to look forward to this duel for six days. The last time this happened was in Vienna in March, when Turkey lost 6-1 in a friendly match. “We haven’t forgotten that. To be honest, it’s a wound in me,” said Dortmund legionnaire Salih Özcan beforehand. For many other protagonists, however, this duel no longer played a major role: it was not meaningful enough because it was a friendly match, and in the end the result was far too high, as all protagonists stressed.
But a 1:6, however it came about, is still in the memory. Back then, the Austrians set off a goal fireworks display, this time the Turkish fans set off a real one the night before the match right in front of the hotel of the ÖFB team players, who didn’t want to notice it. They certainly noticed the next fan march.
ORF/Bernhard Kastler
Although there weren’t as many as in the group phase, thousands of people made a lot of effort to be there for this match. Some even travelled without tickets. Being there was a lot these days, and the majority of Austrian fans were able to score points again with a friendly performance against their neighbours.
A bit of a home game with expected formation
Reunions were also a joy: many of the protagonists of the ÖFB team returned to a current or old place of work. Rangnick led RB Leipzig into the Bundesliga as sporting director and coach, Marcel Sabitzer (with a new hairstyle) and Konrad Laimer became key players here, Xaver Schlager is one, but is currently injured, and Christoph Baumgartner and Nicolas Seiwald are working on it.
more on the subject
The live ticker for reading
Baumgartner, like Laimer, returned to the lineup, while Rangnick avoided any surprises this time, so that the correct starting eleven could even be guessed in advance. Kevin Danso and Philipp Mwene returned to the defense, Romano Schmid stayed, and Florian Grillitsch sat on the bench. Turkish coach Vincenzo Montella had to hand over his star player Hakan Cahanoglu due to a yellow card suspension, and hopes rested on the young shoulders of Güler (Real) and Kenan Yildiz (Juventus).
This time a false start
Austria is known for its dream starts, and this time it was Turkey. The ÖFB team had the kick-off and a deep run, but it didn’t work. On the other side, the Turks also quickly played deep, which led to a corner right in front of their own fans. It immediately got even louder than it already was in the Kessel, and a few seconds later even louder. Güler brought the corner to the second post, Baumgartner cleared to Posch, and Pentz cleared the ping-pong ball to the feet of Demiral, who scored the early lead (1st).
The ÖFB team had not conceded such an early goal since October 1965. Back then, Jürgen Nöldner scored in the first minute of the World Cup qualifiers for the German Democratic Republic to give them a 1-0 win – curiously enough, also in Leipzig, in the old Zentralstadion.
APA/AFP/Angelos Tzortzinis Demiral slammed the ball under the crossbar after 57 seconds
The shock was quickly digested, Baumgartner almost immediately missed the left post (2nd). Austria kept up the pressure, and Leipzig legionnaire Baumgartner was always there when things got dangerous in his home club. The 24-year-old slipped just past another cross (5th), and Philipp Lienhart also put a header just over the goal (7th).
But not everything went well in the first half, as the Turks had solutions ready to evade the pressure, just as they had in Vienna. Austria’s build-up was inaccurate and imprecise, and the players exchanged a lot of words. Turkey remained harmless except for a few moments, but Austria did not have any more big chances before the break. The Turks had blocked everything well, so they had to react during the break.
Austria has chances, Türkiye scores
Michael Gregoritsch and Alexander Prass came into the game to provide more offensive pressure, Mwene and Schmid stayed in the dressing room. And the changes, including positional changes, paid off. The ÖFB team now tied up the Turks in their own half and had chances. Posch passed to Arnautovic, who shot flat at the goalkeeper alone in front of Mert Günok (51′). Laimer had a shot two minutes later, but missed the goal. The same went for Arnautovic, but the striker was offside when the pass came (55′).
Austria – Türkiye: 0:2 Demiral (59.)
Demiral scores for the second time after a corner.
And Turkey? Scored. As in the first half, Güler took a sharp corner in front of Pentz’s goal. Demiral was there again, this time powerfully heading the ball to make it 2-0 (59′). The Austrian team was naturally deeply shocked, but after a few minutes, in which Florian Grillitsch (for the injured Konrad Laimer) and Maximilian Wöber came on, they pulled themselves together again.
Gregoritsch shortens, Günok prevents equaliser
And the ÖFB team also scored from a corner. Sabitzer, who was hit by a coin at a corner and continued to play, brought the ball into the middle, Posch passed the ball on and Gregoritsch scored at the far post to make it 1:2 (67′). It was the start of an onslaught in the rain that was not enough to equalize.
Austria – Türkiye: 1:2 Gregoritsch (66.)
Gregoritsch scores the equalizer after a corner.
Austria constantly attacked, crossed from all sides and also managed to score against the two Turkish five-man chains. Baumgartner in particular headed several times towards goal (84th/86th), but he missed the goal by a wide margin. In between, Baris Alper Yilmaz had two chances to seal the deal, but Pentz saved. In the last action, Baumgartner had the best chance to equalize, but Günok brilliantly fished his header out of the far corner (95th). Turkey celebrated, Austria was devastated.
UEFA EURO 2024, Round of 16
Tuesday:
Austria – Türkiye 1:2 (0:1)
Leipzig Stadium, 38.300, SR Soares Dias (POR)
Torfolge:
0:1 Demiral (1.)
0:2 Demiral (59.)
1:2 Gregoritsch (67.)
Austria: Pentz – Posch, Danso, Lienhart (65./Wöber), Mwene (46./Prass) – Seiwald, Laimer (65./Grillitsch) – Schmid (46./Gregoritsch), Baumgartner, Sabitzer – Arnautovic
Türkiye: Gunok – Muldur, Bardakci, Demiral, Kadioglu – Yuksek (58./Ozcan), Ayhan – Yilmaz, Kokcu (83./Kahveci), Yildiz (78./Akturkoglu) – Guler (78./Yokuslu)
Yellow cards: Lienhart, Schmid and Yüksek, Kökcü
