July 3 – Turkey versus Austria is a historical rivalry based on religion, land, trade routes, and tonight in the Red Bull Arena Leipzig, the ‘Beautiful Game’.
With a 6-1 hiding of the Turks just three months ago in a friendly, Ralf Rangnick, was keen to snuff out any overconfidence.
In contrast, his opposite number, Vincenzo Montella said, “it was a humiliating result on a personal level but that was another match, and this one is a different matter.” He wasn’t wrong!
The only way to describe the first 20 minutes is to picture a pair of rutting rhinos, such was the ferocity that these two teams tore into each other. It was Formula One on steroids, a heavyweight boxing clash, just sheer exhilaration with an ear-splitting soundtrack to boot that at times was nothing more than a primal noise.
Merih Demiral celebrates his first goal
Straight from the kick-off, Austria flew en-masse into Turkey’s penalty area, who responded by going straight down the other end to win a corner. Arda Guler, the darling of the Turkish national team swung in a fiendish delivery that Cristoph Baumgartner could not deal with and the rebound dropped to Merih Demiral who lashed it into the roof of the net. Cue left off in Leipzig.
Back came Austria through Baumgartner and his twenty-five-yarder was inches away from finding the bottom corner with Mert Gunok well beaten in the Turkish goal.
Two minutes later, Romano Schmid whipped in a set piece and the ball evaded a phalanx of bodies before finding Baumgartner at the far post but he couldn’t squeeze it home. Referee Artur Dias gets the voice from VAR. Did Demiral kick his man? No! We play on!
LEIPZIG, GERMANY – JULY 02: A general view of fans of Turkiye as they celebrate after Merih Demiral of Turkiye (not pictured) scores his team’s second goal during the UEFA EURO 2024 round of 16 match between Austria and Turkiye at Football Stadium Leipzig on July 02, 2024 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Joosep…
Source link : https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2024/07/02/demiral-double-sees-turkey-beat-austria-2-1-adrenalin-fuelled-night/
Author : Paul Nicholson
Publish date : 2024-07-02 21:41:43
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