Austria's European Championship of high hopes ends in the round of 16. German coach Ralf Rangnick's team lost 2:1 to Turkey in Leipzig.
In a fast-paced and always exciting game, a central defender was the decisive figure. The 26-year-old Merih Demiral scored both Turkish goals. He scored after 56 seconds to make it 1-0 and after just under an hour to make it 2-0 - both after corner kicks and thus ensured the preliminary decision. The Austrians stormed their opponents' goal, but only managed to make it 2-1 through Michael Gregoritsch (66'). Turkey will play for their second European Championship semi-final since 2008 in Berlin on Saturday.
The fact that the Austrians had to chase a deficit throughout the match was due to the lightning start by the Turks, who had been outclassed 1:6 by their round of 16 opponents in a test match in Vienna last March. Without their suspended captain Hakan Calhanoglu, nothing better could have happened to Turkey than this quick 1:0 with the first attack. It was the quickest goal in a European Championship knockout round and the second quickest ever at a European Championship, after the Albanian Nedim Bajrami's goal against Italy in the preliminary round just over two weeks ago.
Günok's great save
It remained the game of Demirel, the 26-year-old who moved to Saudi Arabia from Atalanta Bergamo last summer. In the 59th minute, he headed a corner from young Real Madrid star Arda Güler into the net to make it 2-0. It was a flattering lead in view of the proportion of the game, but it was not completely undeserved because the Turks did their job well. Intensity and passing accuracy were just right against the Austrians, who were so well-matched in their pressing.
The favored ÖFB team attacked consistently, especially after the break and the substitution of Gregoritsch, who created a lot of danger and not coincidentally made it 1-2 from a corner kick. A goal from the Austrians was in the air until the final whistle. But the 2:2 would not come: In the 94th minute, Turkish goalkeeper Mert Günok made a brilliant save from Christoph Baumgartner's final shot.
Two bitter goals conceded
The Austrians were a little unlucky to miss out on a chance to reach the quarter-finals at a final tournament for the first time since 1954, a chance that was considered very good, especially at home. From Marcel Sabitzer's point of view, both goals conceded can be lamented. The ball that Demirel shot into the net to make it 1:0 was unfortunate to land at the feet of the Turkish central defender via three Austrians - Baumgartner, Posch and goalkeeper Pentz. And the action before the corner kick that led to 2-0 was so confused that it is not clear whether a goal kick would have been the correct refereeing decision.
Telegram:
Austria - Turkey 1:2 (0:2)
Leipzig. - 38'305 spectators. - Referee Dias (POR). - Goals: 1. (0:56) Demiral 0:1. 59. Demiral 0:2. 66. Gregoritsch 1:2.
Austria: Pentz; Posch, Danso, Lienhart (65. Wöber), Mwene (46. Prass); Seiwald, Laimer (65. Grillitsch); Schmid (46. Gregoritsch), Baumgartner, Sabitzer; Arnautovic.
Turkey: Günok; Müldür, Bardakci, Demiral, Kadioglu; Yüksek (58. Özcan), Ayhan; Yilmaz, Kökcü (83. Kahveci), Yildiz (78. Aktürkoglu); Güler (78. Yokuslu).
Comments: Austria without Trauner (injured) and Wimmer (suspended). Turkey without Akaydin and Calhanoglu (both suspended). Cautions: 11 for Kökcü (suspended for next match), 38 for Schmid, 42 for Yüksek (suspended for next match), 52 for Lienhart.
SDA
