Merih Demiral was Turkey’s unexpected hero in their 2-1 victory over Austria on Tuesday, securing a spot in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals. The Al-Ahli centre-back scored both goals, making his mark early in the game by smashing home a goal just 58 seconds in. He then produced a powerful header on the hour mark to double Turkey’s lead. Austria’s Michael Gregoritsch quickly responded with a goal, and only a stunning save from Mert Gunok denied Christoph Baumgartner a dramatic equalizer deep into stoppage-time.
With this win, Turkey advanced to face the Netherlands in the last eight in Berlin on Saturday. Austria had been seen as a dark horse in the tournament, especially after topping a group that included France and the Netherlands. Ralf Rangnick’s team had also thrashed Turkey 6-1 in a friendly in March, but this time they couldn’t recover from a disastrous start.
Real Madrid’s Arda Guler was a constant threat to the Austrian defense. His delivery from a corner caused chaos inside the first minute, leading to the game’s first goal. Baumgartner’s clearance off the line hit his teammate Stefan Posch, and goalkeeper Patrick Pentz clawed the ball out to Demiral, who lashed it into the roof of the net. This goal was the second-fastest ever at a European Championship.
Turkey’s fans exploded in celebration, but they were almost immediately silenced when Baumgartner fired a shot inches wide from the edge of the box. Demiral then prevented the RB Leipzig midfielder from scoring at his home ground as an Austrian corner flashed dangerously across the goal.
Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella commented that absent captain Hakan Calhanoglu, who was missing due to suspension, was “irreplaceable.” However, Guler took on the playmaking role and nearly produced a stunning second goal for Turkey with an audacious attempt from the halfway line that drifted just wide.
Since Rangnick took charge of Austria two years ago, only Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands have had a higher winning percentage in European football. The former Manchester United boss made two changes at halftime, including the introduction of Gregoritsch, who had scored a hat-trick against Turkey three months ago. Rangnick got the reaction he desired as Austria began cutting through the Turkish defense. Gunok made a brilliant save to deny Marko Arnautovic in a one-on-one situation before Bayern Munich’s Konrad Laimer lacked the finish to a fine run through the middle.
Austria, however, failed to learn their lesson from Guler’s corners. Another inviting delivery was powered home by Demiral. By scoring twice, the 26-year-old became the first European defender to do so in the knockout stages of a major tournament since Lillian Thuram for France in the 1998 World Cup. Austria got back into the game seven minutes later with a set-piece of their own. Posch flicked on Marcel Sabitzer’s corner, allowing Gregoritsch to sweep the ball high into the net.
Despite Austria’s efforts to equalize, including a series of dangerous attacks, Turkey held on to their lead. The game concluded with a narrow victory for Turkey, highlighting Demiral’s crucial role in their success. As Turkey prepares to face the Netherlands, their fans and team are filled with hope and anticipation for the challenges ahead. This victory against Austria, especially considering the previous friendly defeat, demonstrates Turkey’s resilience and ability to perform under pressure.
