Turkey survived a nerve-wracking finale to book their place in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals thanks to a 2-1 victory over Austria in Tuesday's last-16 clash at the Red Bull Arena. The Euro 2008 semi-finalists needed just 57 seconds to get off the mark through Merih Demiral , who scored the quickest knockout goal ever seen at the men's Euros before remarkably doubling his tally in the second period. A Michael Gregoritsch header not long after Demiral completed his brace triggered a gripping finale, in which Turkey's defenders stood tall to set up a quarter-final showdown with the Netherlands this weekend.
Here, Sports Mole provides player ratings from Turkey's absorbing triumph in Leipzig. © Reuters Inexplicably palmed the ball right into Demiral's path for the opening goal and could only flap at the centre-back's header for his second. Made a crucial save from Baris Yilmaz right at the death, though.
Also culpable for Turkey's 57-second strike but was central to a lot of Austria's positive attacking play thereafter, heading on Marcel Sabitzer 's corner for Gregoritsch to head in. Probably his nation's best player over the course of 90 minutes. Mostly reliable in the air but not when it mattered most for Demiral's second of the evening.
Nice passing range, though. Also bullied by Demiral for Turkey's second goal and was lucky not to receive a second yellow just before his inevitable substitution. Was far from disastrous out on the left - both defensively and offensively - but .
