Merih Demiral’s early and decisive goals propelled Türkiye to a 2-1 victory over Austria in the Euro 2024 Round of 16 on Tuesday, securing their spot in the quarterfinals against the Netherlands.
The match at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium erupted into action from the very first minute. Türkiye seized the lead within 57 seconds when Demiral capitalized on a defensive mishap during a corner kick. Austria’s failed clearance saw the ball ricochet off Stefan Posch to goalkeeper Patrick Pentz, who struggled to control it, allowing Demiral to pounce and score the tournament’s second-fastest goal in history.
Austria nearly equalized immediately, but Demiral heroically denied Christoph Baumgartner on the goal line. The opening exchanges set the tone for a fiercely contested match, with both sides creating numerous opportunities.
Despite Austria’s relentless pressure, Türkiye’s defense remained resolute. Goalkeeper Mert Gunok delivered a stellar performance, thwarting Austria’s 21 attempts with crucial saves, including a spectacular stoppage-time save to deny Baumgartner’s header and preserve Türkiye’s lead.
In the 59th minute, amidst a shower of beer cups from the crowd, Türkiye extended their lead. Arda Guler, undeterred by the unruly behavior, delivered a precise corner to Demiral, who headed in his second goal. The Austrian fans’ disruptions did little to deter the Turkish side’s focus.
Austria pulled one back in the 66th minute when substitute Michael Gregoritsch volleyed home after a flick-on from Posch during a corner. Despite Austria’s continued assaults, including dangerous efforts from Marko Arnautovic, Türkiye held firm.
After the match, Austria’s coach Ralf Rangnick lamented, “I’m sure that if Baumgartner had scored to take the game to extra time, we would have gone on to win the match. The only thing we could be accused of is that we didn’t score enough goals from the chances we had, and that we didn’t work well twice for set pieces.”
Türkiye’s victory sets up a thrilling quarterfinal clash with the Netherlands in Berlin on Saturday. As they advance, Türkiye’s blend of defensive resilience and clinical finishing marks them as a formidable contender in the tournament.
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Demiral's double helps Türkiye top Austria 2-1 in last 16 at Euro 2024
cgtn.com
