Austria, the secret favorites, are defeated by Turkey in the European Championship round of 16. After falling behind early on, the Austrians fail to mount a comeback. Turkey goalie Günok becomes the big hero in the 95th minute.
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 Demiral, the 26-year-old who moved to Saudi Arabia from Atalanta Bergamo last summer. He headed a corner from Real Madrid's Arda Güler into the net in the 59th minute to make it 2-0. It was a flattering lead in view of the share of play, 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 95th 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 were a cause for lamentation.
The ball that Demirel fired into the net to make it 1:0 was unfortunate to land at the feet of the Turkish center-back 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.
The 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.
The live ticker for review
Austria
Turkey
- Michael Gregoritsch - 1:2 (66.)
- (1.) 0:1 - Merih Demiral
- (59.) 0:2 - Merih Demiral
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Liveticker
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Liveticker closed
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#Preview
Austria fans cause scandal with xenophobic "foreigners out" song
Swiss television actually wanted to pick up on the good mood among Austrian supporters in the preliminary coverage of the European Championship round of 16 final between Austria and Turkey, but a scandal broke out during a live broadcast.
As the camera pans through the Austria fans gathered in Leipzig, some red-white-red supporters are clearly heard chanting the slogan "Foreigners out" to the tune of "L'Amour Toujour" by DJ Gigi D'Agostino.
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#Preview
Police in Leipzig prepare for a riot
Leipzig is on high alert ahead of the final European Championship quarter-final between Austria and Turkey. As the newspaper "Bild" reports, the police are already preparing for a possible pitch storm in the run-up to the match.
"When Austria plays Turkey, a large number of fans will gather. Depending on how the game turns out, we must also expect a stampede," Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster told Bild. "We are offering everything we have in the background, outwardly it will be a fan festival."
Two fan marches towards the stadium had already taken place in Leipzig in the early evening. According to the police, around 4,000 fans took part in the Turkish march, while around 8,000 supporters took part in the Austrian march.
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90.+6.End of 2nd half
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83.Substitution in Turkey
Irfan Kahveci
Striker
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83.Substitution out Turkey
Orkun Kökçü
Midfielder
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78.Substitution in Turkey
Kerem Aktürkoglu
Midfielder
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78.Substitution out Turkey
Kenan Yildiz
Midfielder
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78.Substitution in Turkey
Okay Yokuslu
Midfielder
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78.Substitution out Turkey
Arda Güler
Striker
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66.Goal for Austria, 1:2 through Michael Gregoritsch (Stefan Posch)
Michael Gregoritsch
Striker
Assist: Stefan Posch
Defender
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65.Substitution in Austria
Maximilian Wöber
Defender
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65.Substitution out Austria
Philipp Lienhart
Defender
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65.Substitution in Austria
Florian Grillitsch
Midfielder
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65.Substitution out Austria
Konrad Laimer
Midfielder
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59.Goal for Turkey, 0:2 through Merih Demiral (Arda Güler)
Merih Demiral
Defender
Assist: Arda Güler
Striker
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58.Substitution in Turkey
Salih Özcan
Midfielder
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58.Substitution out Turkey
Ismail Yüksek
Midfielder
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52.Yellow card Austria
Philipp Lienhart
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46.Substitution in Austria
Michael Gregoritsch
Striker
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46.Substitution out Austria
Romano Schmid
Midfielder
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46.Substitution in Austria
Alexander Prass
Midfielder
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46.Substitution out Austria
Phillipp Mwene
Defender
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46.Kick-off 2nd half
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45.+2.End of 1st half
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42.Yellow card Turkey
Ismail Yüksek
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38.Yellow card Austria
Romano Schmid
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11.Yellow card Turkey
Orkun Kökçü
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1.Goal for Turkey, 0:1 through Merih Demiral
Merih Demiral
Defender
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1.Start of the match
