Turkey showed a strong level in a tough defensive game, including a great save from Mert Gunuk, to beat Austria and qualify for the quarter-finals of Euro 2024.
European Football Championship or Euro 2024 at Leipzig Stadium, Round of 16, Austria, which entered the round as number 1 in Group 4, meets Turkey, team number 2 in Group 6, on July 2, 2024.
In this match, Austria coach Ralf Rangnick sent Christoph Baumgartner. Starting with Romano Schmid and Marcel Sabitzer, and supporting Marko Arnautovic on the striker.
Vincenzo Montella's Turkey are without suspended duo Hakan Calhanoglu and Samet Akaydin, but Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz are still in attack.
Euro 2024 results: Netherlands beat Romania 3-0 to reach quarter-finals
Football Analysis! Euro 2024 Austria meets Turkey on July 2, 2024
In just the first minute of the match, Turkey quickly took a 1-0 lead from a corner kick, but the Austrian defenders did not miss a chance to clear the ball and held on to their friend Merih Demiral who shot close to goal.
In the fifth minute, Austria had a chance to equalise from a corner kick, but no one came forward in time until Merih Demiral pushed the ball away with difficulty.
At the end of the first half, Austria tried to open the match and attack in the hope of achieving an equalizer. But they were unable to penetrate Turkey's defense line and had a chance to score a goal. At the end of the first half, Türkiye was leading 1-0.
Austria came back in the second half in the 51st minute, attacked strongly and had a chance to equalize through Marko Arnautovic, who shot close to the goal, but Mert Gunok rushed out and saved it in the right time.
And until the 59th minute, Turkey scored a goal to make the score 2-0 from a corner kick again, Arda Ciller opened in front of the goal and Demiral was the same person who took the task and headed it.
Then in the 65th minute Austria managed to make it 1-2 from another corner kick.
As the last 20 minutes approached, Austria pressed hard. There were many chances but the Turkish defence remained resilient. Until the last minute of extra time 90+5 Christoph Baumgartner had a chance to head the ball and the ball almost went in but the Turkish goalkeeper Mert Gunuk made a great save.
The match ended with Turkey defeating Austria 2-1, qualifying for the quarter-finals to meet the Netherlands on July 6.
List of starting players for both teams
Austria (4-2-3-1): Patrick Bentz, Stefan Buch, Kevin Danso, Philipp Lienhardt, Philipp Moeni, Nicolas Seewald, Marcel Sabitzer, Konrad Laimer, Christoph Baumgartner, Romano Schmid, Marko Arnautovic (team captain).
Türkiye (4-2-3-1): Mert Gunuk, Mert Mulder, Merih Demiral, Abdulkerim Bardacı, Ferdi Kadıolu, Ismail Gokcek, Kay Aihan (team captain), Barik Alpar Gilmaz, Orgun Gokcu, Kenan Yildiz, Arda Guler.