Last-minute save against Austria secures Türkiye’s place in quarterfinals in Euro 2024

In a thrilling match, Türkiye secured their place in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals with a 2-1 victory over Austria on Tuesday, propelled by an unlikely hero in defender Merih Demiral.

Demiral, who plays for Saudi club Al-Ahli, electrified the crowd with a goal just 58 seconds into the match, the second-fastest in European Championship history. He doubled Türkiye’s lead on the hour mark with a powerful header, becoming the first European defender to score twice in the knockout stages of a major tournament since France’s Lillian Thuram in the 1998 World Cup.

Austria, who had been considered dark horses after topping a group that included France and the Netherlands, struggled to recover from the early setback. Michael Gregoritsch managed to pull one back for Austria, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Türkiye’s resolute defense.

The match, played in Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena, saw a raucous atmosphere as Türkiye’s large expatriate population in Germany turned out in force, creating a virtual home-field advantage for the Turkish side.

Türkiye’s victory was all the more impressive given the absence of their captain, Hakan Calhanoglu, due to suspension. In his stead, Real Madrid’s Arda Guler stepped up, proving a constant threat to the Austrian defense with his playmaking abilities.

The game’s dramatic conclusion saw Turkish goalkeeper Mert Gunok make a spectacular save in stoppage time, denying Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner an equalizer. The save drew comparisons to Gordon Banks’ famous stop against Pele in the 1970 World Cup.

“It was an incredible save,” said Türkiye coach Vincenzo Montella. “Mert’s performance in those final moments was crucial to our victory.”

The win marks Türkiye’s first advancement to the quarterfinals of a major tournament since Euro 2008. They will face the Netherlands in Berlin on Saturday, continuing their unexpected run in the tournament.

For Austria and their coach Ralf Rangnick, the loss was a bitter pill to swallow, especially considering their 6-1 victory over Türkiye in a friendly match just three months ago.

“We’re disappointed, of course,” Rangnick said. “But Türkiye capitalized on their chances and defended well. We’ll learn from this and come back stronger.”

Speaking at a post-match press conference at Leipzig Stadium, Rangnick acknowledged the role of luck in the outcome. “The odds weren’t in our favor,” he said. “If the match had gone to extra time, we would have had a chance to win.”

The Austrian coach highlighted the stark contrast between this match and their previous encounter with Turkey. “We played a game where we won 6-1 against them, and in that match, we were able to score six goals, while in this one, we only managed one,” Rangnick admitted. “We didn’t create enough opportunities or score enough goals.”

Rangnick praised his team’s resilience after conceding an early goal. “We started very strongly after conceding in the first minute,” he said. “We had chances to equalize and even take the lead in the first 15 minutes.”

However, he noted that they struggled to maintain possession as the game progressed. “When you’re down 2-0, things don’t get easier,” Rangnick explained. “We did score, and we had enough time to equalize, but it was difficult.”

Reflecting on the tournament as a whole, Rangnick emphasized the entertainment value of Austria’s matches. “All four games we played were high-quality, entertaining matches,” he said. “If we continue to play the football we played in these four matches, I think we have a good chance of qualifying for the World Cup.”

Despite the disappointment, Rangnick remains focused on the future. “We must learn from this,” he stated. “At the end of the day, one team continues on.”

The coach concluded on a note of determination. “The dominant emotion for us is disappointment, but we haven’t reached these levels for many years, and we want to stay at this level,” he said.

As Austria heads home earlier than expected, Rangnick and his team will use this experience as motivation for future competitions, aiming to maintain their place among Europe’s footballing elite.