Turkey’s feat in the round of 16 of Euro 2024. Montella’s team beat Austria 2-1 and qualified for the quarterfinals where they will face Holland, victorious over Romania. An intense match until the end, with continuous reversals of front that however saw the Turks more concrete. A Turkey with a mix of youth, with Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz, the first team to field two Under 20 players in a knockout match between European Championships and World Cups starting from Hungary-Denmark at Euro 1964, and experience with Demiral above all the great protagonist of the challenge with the winning brace, and despite the great absence of Hakan Çalhanoğlu.
Turkey hasn’t even started yet and is already ahead. They start with their foot on the accelerator and in the 1st minute they immediately score: on a corner kick, two Austrian players throw the ball at each other, Pentz saves at first but then the ball ends up with Demiral who from two steps puts the ball under the crossbar for 1-0. Austria tries to react immediately and in the 3rd minute Baumgartner tries, jumping over two opponents and attempting a shot that ends just wide. Rangnick’s team continues to push and in the 6th minute, on the developments of a corner kick, Demiral anticipates Baumgartner, who fails to tap the ball into the net. After the initial lead, Turkey tries to ease the pressure and in the 19th minute Güler sees the opposing goalkeeper off his line and attempts a wonder goal, with a shot from over 60 meters that ends up wide. Montella’s team tries to get back into the game and in the 26th minute Yılmaz tunnels past an opponent and crosses without finding Yıldız at the far post. Austria tries again in the 34th minute with Sabitzer from outside the area but his attempt is blocked by a header from Bardakcı. Turkey then manages to control the ball without exposing themselves again until the end of the first half.
At the start of the second half, Austria started again with great vehemence and in the 51st minute, Günok saved with his feet on Arnautović who had a great chance to equalise. In the 54th minute, Posch tried but his conclusion was blocked by Demiral. The same Turkish defender scored again in the 59th minute. On Güler’s corner, Demiral headed in a brace and it was 2-0 for Turkey, with the player becoming the first defender to score a brace in a knockout phase between the European Championships and the World Cup since Lilian Thuram at the 1998 World Cup.
Austria is not having it and continues to push, finding the goal of hope in the 66th minute with Gregoritsch. Corner by Sabitzer with Posch who extends to the second post where Gregoritsch arrives and makes it 1-2. In the 74th minute Grillitsch tries from outside the area but his conclusion is too central to surprise Günok. Austria pushes and in the 85th minute Günok comes out empty-handed but Baumgartner fails to score with a header blocked by Demiral. In the 94th minute Turkey comes close to scoring the third with Aktürkoğlu but Pentz saves everything. In the 95th minute the miracle of the Turkish goalkeeper gives the victory to Montella’s team: Prass throws the ball in the middle for Baumgartner who heads it but Günok saves with a crazy intervention and gives Turkey the quarterfinals.
