Turkey’s Merih Demiral was the unlikely hero as they booked their place in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Austria on Tuesday.
The Al-Ahli centre-back struck twice, including a thunderbolt in the first minute and a towering header on the hour mark, to secure Turkey’s spot in the last eight.
Demiral’s goals proved to be the difference between the two sides, with Austria’s Michael Gregoritsch pulling one back just minutes later. The match seemed destined for a dramatic finish, but Mert Gunok produced a stunning save to deny Christoph Baumgartner a potential equaliser in stoppage time.
Turkey will now face the Netherlands in the quarterfinals on Saturday in Berlin, after Austria’s dark horse run came to an end.
Austria had emerged as a surprise package, topping their group featuring France and the Netherlands, but they were unable to recover from a nightmare start. Demiral’s opener was sparked by Real Madrid’s Arda Guler’s teasing delivery from a corner, which caused chaos in the Austrian box.
The raucous Turkish fans erupted in celebration, but Baumgartner nearly brought them back down to earth with a shot that was inches wide of the post. Demiral then produced an incredible clearance off the line to deny Baumgartner from scoring at his home ground.
Coach Vincenzo Montella praised captain Hakan Calhanoglu, who was missing due to suspension, saying he was “irreplaceable”. However, Guler stepped up to fill the playmaking role and nearly produced a stunning second goal with an audacious attempt from the halfway line.
Austria coach Ralf Rangnick’s side has been impressive since his arrival two years ago, boasting a winning percentage of 70% – only bettered by Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands.
