Euro 2024 Quarter-Final Matchups: A Thrilling Stage Set

The Turkish National Football Team has ignited celebrations across the nation by securing a coveted spot in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals. This victory, marking their first quarter-final appearance in a major tournament since 2008, has set the stage for eagerly anticipated Euro 2024 quarter-final matchups. Their journey to this stage has been nothing short of dramatic, culminating in a 2-1 triumph over Austria in the round of 16.

The hero of the match against Austria was undoubtedly Merih Demiral, who scored both of Turkey’s goals, remarkably both from corner kicks. Austria’s lone goal, also from a corner, came courtesy of Michael Gregoritsch. Demiral’s stellar performance earned him the UEFA Man of the Match award. In his post-match interview, Demiral humbly praised goalkeeper Mert Günok and expressed his immense pride in the team’s achievement.

Adding to the historical significance of the match, Demiral’s opening goal, scored within the first minute, became the fastest goal ever recorded in the knockout stages of a major tournament.

Young talent Arda Güler played a crucial role in both goals, delivering the corner kicks that led to Demiral’s strikes. Güler, in his post-match interview, revealed that set-piece execution was a key focus in their training, stating, “We knew that if we could deliver crosses into those areas, we could be dangerous.”

Demiral’s brace of goals etched his name in history alongside French legend Lilian Thuram. He became the first defender since Thuram in the 1998 World Cup to score two goals in a major tournament knockout match.

Turkey’s coach, Vincenzo Montella, revealed his motivation stemmed from a desire to erase the memory of a heavy defeat against Austria in a prior friendly match. “It wasn’t about revenge, but about correcting a mistake because I had never lost by such a score in my coaching career,” Montella explained.

Goalkeeper Mert Günok, lauded for his crucial late save, shared his excitement, saying, “It was a very beautiful victory.” Even Austria’s coach, Ralf Rangnick, acknowledged Günok’s brilliance, humorously remarking, “It’s hard to score when Banks is in goal,” drawing a comparison to legendary English goalkeeper Gordon Banks.

Despite the defeat, Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner expressed deep disappointment, calling it “one of the saddest days of my life.”

Looking ahead, the Euro 2024 quarter-final pairings are set to deliver high-octane clashes: Netherlands vs. Turkey, Switzerland vs. England, Germany vs. Spain, and France vs. Portugal.

Key Match Statistics Unveiled by UEFA

• Merih Demiral’s opening goal stands as the second-fastest goal in European Championship history. Notably, four of the six fastest goals have been scored in Euro 2024.
• Michael Gregoritsch’s goal for Austria marked the 100th goal of Euro 2024.
• Austria’s loss extends their winless streak in major tournament knockout matches since the 1954 World Cup.
• Turkey’s 7 goals in this tournament have been scored by six different players, highlighting their diverse attacking threats.
• Turkey became only the second team in European Championship history to field two players under the age of 20 in a knockout match, with 19-year-olds Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız following in the footsteps of Hungary in 1964.

Quarter-Final Showdown in Berlin

Turkey’s quarter-final clash against the Netherlands is scheduled for Saturday in Berlin, Germany, kicking off at 10:00 PM Turkish time. The Netherlands secured their quarter-final berth with a dominant 3-0 victory over Romania.

In the Euro 2024 group stage, Turkey competed in Group F alongside Portugal, Czech Republic, and Georgia. They finished second in the group with 6 points, behind Portugal on goal difference, securing two wins and one loss.

Austria, on the other hand, topped Group D with 6 points, ahead of France and the Netherlands. Despite losing 1-0 to France in their opening match, Austria bounced back with victories over Poland (3-1) and the Netherlands (2-1).

While Austria had defeated Turkey 6-1 in a friendly match in March, Turkey boasts a strong record against Austria, remaining undefeated in competitive matches for 35 years. Historically, Turkey and Austria have faced each other 18 times, with Turkey winning eight and Austria winning nine, and only one draw. The upcoming Euro 2024 quarter-final match promises to be another exciting chapter in this rivalry as part of the thrilling Euro 2024 çeyrek final eşleşmeleri.