With this result, Turkiye advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2008, where they will face the Netherlands at Berlin’s Olympia Stadium on Saturday.
Turkiye’s defender Merih Demiral celebrated with midfielder Salih Ozcan after scoring his team’s second goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 round of 16 match between Austria and Turkiye at Leipzig Stadium in Leipzig. The Turks managed to edge out a 2-1 victory over a resolute Austrian side to reach the quarterfinals, a feat they have not achieved since their inspiring run in 2008.
Merih Demiral’s double strike proved to be the decisive factor in eliminating a spirited Austrian team that fought hard but ultimately fell short at Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena late on Tuesday evening. The Turkish team began the match on a high note, netting the fastest goal in the knockout stages of this year’s tournament. Just 57 seconds into the game, chaos in the Austrian defense from an early corner allowed Demiral to tap in the opener, igniting the Turkish supporters in the stadium.
Despite being caught off guard by the early setback, Austria responded with a series of aggressive attacks, aiming to level the score. Christoph Baumgartner had two notable opportunities to equalize but failed to convert them, a reflection of Austria’s struggles against Turkiye’s disciplined and resolute defense. Vincenzo Montella’s side, on the other hand, posed a constant threat, with Demiral coming close to doubling the lead with a header following another corner, according to reports from Xinhua.
As the teams returned after halftime, Austria re-entered the pitch with renewed vigor and kept Turkiye’s defense under relentless pressure. Marco Arnautovic missed a crucial chance to beat Turkish goalkeeper Mert Gunok, and moments later, Konrad Laimer’s promising shot narrowly missed the target, illustrating Austria’s growing desperation to level the score.
However, the momentum of the game took another turn when Demiral struck again against the run of play. A well-executed corner saw Demiral rise above the Austrian defenders to nod home his second goal, putting Turkiye firmly in the driver’s seat with a 2-0 lead.
Determined not to go down without a fight, Austria managed to halve the deficit courtesy of substitute Michael Gregoritsch. He revitalized Austrian hopes by drilling a flicked-on corner into the roof of the net with ample time left in the match.
. This goal set up a tense finale as Austria threw caution to the wind, pushing every player forward in pursuit of the equalizer.
Turkiye adopted a defensive stance, with all their players positioned behind the ball, biding their time for counterattack opportunities. Baris Yilmaz had a prime chance to put the game beyond Austria’s reach but missed the target from inside the box, failing to capitalize on a one-on-one situation against Austrian goalkeeper Patrick Pentz.
The match reached its climax in the dying seconds when Austria came agonizingly close to scoring the much-needed equalizer. Christoph Baumgartner’s header from close range seemed destined for the net, but Gunok produced a remarkable one-handed save on the goal line to maintain Turkiye’s slender lead and secure their place in the quarterfinals.
Reflecting on the match, Austria coach Ralf Rangnick expressed his disappointment, acknowledging that his team lacked the necessary luck and missed their chance to send the game into extra time. “We didn’t have the necessary luck, and I believe if the game had gone to extra time, we would have won. We had time to score an equalizer. We didn’t make enough of our own chances, and we didn’t defend their set pieces well enough,” Rangnick stated post-match.
Turkiye’s advance to the quarterfinals was met with jubilation from their fans, who anticipate a tough encounter against the Netherlands at Berlin’s Olympia Stadium on Saturday. The clash promises to be an exciting showdown as Turkiye aims to continue their memorable journey in Euro 2024, striving to replicate, if not surpass, their semi-final achievement of 2008.
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