Turkiye stormed into the Euro 2024 quarterfinals with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Austria at the Leipzig Stadium on Wednesday. The hero of the day was Merih Demiral, who scored two goals in quick succession, securing a memorable win for his nation.
Demiral opened the scoring just 57 seconds into the match, making it the second-fastest goal in European Championship history. Austria’s defense failed to clear a corner kick, allowing the ball to fall to Demiral who unleashed a powerful shot into an empty net. Only Albania’s Nedim Bajrami, who scored against Italy in the group stage, has netted a faster goal in the tournament.
Turkiye doubled their lead in the 59th minute, again from a corner kick. Arda Guler sent a precise cross into the penalty area, where Demiral rose above the Austrian defenders and headed the ball into the back of the net. The two-goal advantage seemed to secure victory for Turkiye, but Austria managed to pull one back in the 66th minute. A corner kick from Marcel Sabitzer was flicked onto the far post by Stefan Posch, and Michael Gregoritsch had a simple tap-in to reduce the deficit.
Despite Austria’s late push for an equalizer, Turkiye held on to claim a historic win. They will now face the Netherlands in the quarterfinals, a daunting test that promises another exciting match. Demiral’s brace and his quick strikes will be remembered for a long time, as he led Turkiye to a remarkable victory and a place among the best teams in Europe.
