The final last-16 match of Euro 2024 saw Turkey advance. Check out the best facts, stats and analyse the Opta data with our Austria vs Turkey stats page.
A brace from Merih Demiral gave Turkey a hard-fought 2-1 win against Austria in their Euro 2024 round-of-16 tie in a game defined by corners.
Substitute Michael Gregoritsch pulled a goal back for Ralf Rangnick’s side but they were unable to level as Turkey advance to the quarter-finals, where they will play the Netherlands on Saturday.
Austria had been so impressive in the group stage, recovering from an unfortunate opening defeat to France by beating Poland and the Netherlands to top Group D. That set them up against a Turkey side whose journey was more mixed, with wins over Georgia and Czech Republic sandwiching a 3-0 defeat to Portugal in Group F.
Vincenzo Montella was without his captain, Hakan Çalhanoglu, and defender Samet Akaydin due to suspension following the chaotic clash with Czech Republic that saw 18 cards handed out (16 yellow, 2 red), a Euros record.
With Arda Güler and Kenan Yildiz on the teamsheet, Turkey were the first team to name two teenagers in a knockout game at the European Championship since Hungary against Denmark in 1964.
With less than a minute gone, Real Madrid youngster Güler had already made an impact as his inswinging corner led to confusion in the Austria box, with Christoph Baumgartner, Stefan Posch and goalkeeper Patrick Pentz all failing to clear the ball, before Demiral slammed in the opener after just 57 seconds.
It continued a theme of early goals at this tournament. Prior to Euro 2024, there had only been two goals scored inside the opening 92 seconds of games at Euros. There have been four alone in this tournament, and we’ve not yet reached the quarter-finals.
In fact, there hadn’t been a single goal in the opening minute of a game at a Euros in the first 16 editions, but Demiral’s strike was the second such goal at Euro 2024 after Nedim Bajrami for Albania against Italy in the group stage (23 seconds).
It was also the earliest goal conceded by Austria since October 1965 when Jürgen Nöldner also scored in the opening minute for East Germany in World Cup qualification, coincidentally also a game that was, like this one, played in Leipzig.
The early goal conceded was bad news for Austria given their record when falling behind. Austria went into this game having won none and lost seven of their Euros matches in which they’ve conceded first (D1), while Turkey had won four of their five games in the competition when scoring first (L1).
Austria showed intent as they attacked at pace, but Turkey seemed to have an answer every time. The closest Rangnick’s men came to pulling level in the first half was the last kick before the break as Baumgartner directed a shot just wide from a low cross.
Güler’s feeling of belonging on the big stage had been evident in the first half. He had put four crosses into the box, completed two of three dribbles, won possession four times and even attempted a shot from the halfway line that drifted just wide.
Rangnick responded at half-time as he introduced Alexander Prass and Gregoritsch from the bench, and his team made a strong start to the second half. Marko Arnautovic should have equalised in the 51st minute when slid in by Posch but Austria’s captain was denied by the legs of the alert Mert Günok in the Turkish goal.
Despite an improvement from Austria, it was another corner from the right that was their undoing just before the hour. Another inswinger from Güler was met by Demiral at close range, with his solid header giving Pentz no chance and leading to the centre-back’s second goal of the night.
Demiral became the first defender to score twice in a knockout stage game at a major tournament (World Cup/Euros) since France’s Lilian Thuram against Croatia in the 1998 World Cup semi-finals.
The Al-Ahli centre-back was not just the match-winner with his goals. Demiral recorded 17 clearances, five more than the next most by any player in a game at Euro 2024 (Solomon Kverkvelia – 12 for Georgia vs Czech Republic).
The danger of corners didn’t waver and Austria halved the deficit just seven minutes later from one of their own, with Sabitzer’s outswinger nodded on by Posch and put in the net by Gregoritsch at the back post.
It continued the Freiburg forward’s excellent recent record against Turkey, having netted a hat-trick vs the same opponent in a friendly in March, which ended in a 6-1 victory for Austria.
This game was more competitive in every sense and was the first time three goals had been scored from corners in a European Championship game on record (since 1980).
There had only been eight goals from corners at Euro 2024 prior to this game, meaning 27.3% of the goals from corners in the tournament came in the first 66 minutes of this contest alone.
Austria continued to knock at the door and Baumgartner had a half chance from yet another corner but could only direct his header over the bar with just four minutes remaining.
A frantic finish almost saw Baris Alper Yilmaz score a third for Turkey on the counter-attack, but he was denied by Pentz, before Günok made an outstanding save at the other end from Baumgartner’s close-range header with seconds remaining to secure Turkey’s passage through to the last eight.
Exhausted and ecstatic Turkey players dropped to the floor as the final whistle went, sending Montella’s men through for the first time since their march to the semi-finals at Euro 2008.
Austria can consider themselves unfortunate, having 21 shots to Turkey’s six and recording 2.74 expected goals to their opponent’s 1.06, but on such fine margins are knockout games decided. Wasteful finishing and that superb Günok save late on sealed their fate.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s summer adventure continues.
Our Opta match centre delivers you all the Austria vs Turkey stats from their Euro 2024 last-16 clash at Leipzig Stadium, Germany.
The match centre below includes team and player stats, expected goals data, passing networks, an Opta chalkboard and more. It gives you everything you need to do your own match analysis.
Underneath the match centre you can find the official Opta stats on the game as well.
Austria vs Turkey: Post-Match Facts
- Turkey’s Merih Demiral opened the scoring after just 57 seconds, the second earliest goal in UEFA European Championship history and quickest ever in the knockout stages; Turkey now hold the record for the fastest goal in both the Euros and the World Cup knockout rounds on record (since 1966) with Hakan Sükür also netting after 11 seconds against South Korea at the 2002 World Cup.
- Turkey have reached the quarter-final stage of the European Championship for the third time after Euro 2000 and Euro 2008 and for the fourth time at a major tournament (World Cup/Euros) alongside the 2002 World Cup.
- Austria have been eliminated from the round of 16 in back-to-back major tournament appearances after also facing the same fate at Euro 2020 – this however after exiting their previous seven tournaments at the group stage.
- Austria recorded an expected goals figure of 2.7 against Turkey, the most by a team that failed to progress from a European Championship knockout stage tie since France against Switzerland in the Euro 2020 round of 16 (3.1).
- Demiral became the first defender to score twice in a game at a major tournament since John Stones for England versus Panama at the 2018 World Cup and the first in the knockout stages since France’s Lilian Thuram against Croatia in the 1998 World Cup semi-finals.
- There were no opening minute goals scored in the first 16 editions of the European Championship but there has now been two first minute goals netted at Euro 2024: Demiral’s goal today (57 seconds) and Nedim Bajrami’s strike for Albania versus Italy in the group stages (23 seconds).
- Michael Gregoritsch has scored four goals in two appearances against Turkey for Austria, with his other 12 goals for his nation coming against 12 different opponents.
- All three goals came via corners, the first match on record (since 1980) at the European Championship to see as many as three goals come via such set-piece situations.
- In 19-year-old pair Kenan Yildiz and Arda Güler, Turkey became the second team in European Championship history to name two teenagers in their starting XI for a knockout stage game after Hungary in 1964 against Denmark.
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