🔬 The Debrief as Türkiye perform heroics and Netherlands cruise through
The last 16 is done and dusted after the final two quarter-finalists were confirmed today.
Here is what we made of the EUROs action on day 19.
What happened? 📝
The final two spots in the last eight were confirmed in very different circumstances.
The Netherlands eventually beat Romania 3-0 in Munich with goals from Cody Gakpo and Donyell Malen (2) in what was a very convincing display.
Later in Leipzig, Türkiye defeated Austria 2-1 in the game of the round with an atmosphere to match it, with Mehri Demiral, Arda Güler and Mert Gunok among the heroes.
Player of the day 🔥
Cody Gakpo was the star of the show for the Netherlands, but it really came down to a coin’s toss between Arda Güler and Mehri Demiral.
Güler’s all-round play (in the absence of the suspended Hakan Çalhanoğlu) confirmed again his status as the star boy of Turkish football and one to watch out for at Real Madrid next season. It was also his two corners that led to both of his team’s goals.
However, as the old saying goes “goals win games” and how often do you see a defender get two, especially one who had only ever scored two in his entire 47-game international career prior to tonight.
It took Demiral just 57 seconds to score the first, capitalising on an Austrian mix-up to smash home from close range, and he had his second just before the hour, powerfully heading home at the near post.
On top of that, the 26-year-old was part of a dogged and resolute Türkiye defence that mostly withstood constant attacks from Austria.
Nights don’t get much better.
Moment of the day 😍
Fifty-seven seconds.
The quickest goal ever scored in the knockout stages over the 64-year history of the European Championships, obliterating the 100-second record held by Robert Lewandowski.
As well as making history, it also confirmed that this was the “game of the round” that so many people hoped it would be.
The remaining 89 minutes and three seconds (plus added time) somehow near-matched a truly stunning start.
Photo of the day 📸
Christoph Baumgartner could not have done more with his header, but somehow Mert Gunok pulled off the save of the tournament with the near-last touch in the game to send his side through.
Stat of the day 📊
3 – Arda Güler is the third teenager to both score and assist in the same edition of the UEFA European Championship after Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, who both did so at EURO 2004. Prodigy. #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/NGPi8aavUy
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 2, 2024
Not bad company.
What this means 🤔
Both the Netherlands and Türkiye are into their first EUROs quarter finals since 2008, while the journey is over for Romania and Austria.
Neither side should hang their heads though, as they have brought as much to the tournament as near-anyone.
What they said 🗣️
Ronald Koeman was delighted with his side’s win but warned they must continue on this path.
“The final result is always the most important. We’re Dutch, though, and we have to play well. The whole performance today was outstanding. That’s what we need to have a chance to continue in this tournament. If we go down with our performance, we won’t get to the final.”
Romanian star Radu Drăguşin was proud of his side’s tournament, which saw them qualify for the knockout round for the first time in 24 years.
“I am sad that we are going home. We wanted to stay more and to make our fans happy again. But I am proud and I know that we’ve created something through this experience and I am sure that in the future we will get even better results.
Austria boss Ralf Rangnick couldn’t believe his side were out but gave praise for Gunok’s heroics.
“We didn’t have the necessary luck and I believe if the game had gone to extra time we would have won. We had time to score an equaliser, but it’s difficult when they have Gordon Banks in goal!”
What comes next? ⏭️
We’re into the endgame now with just a third of the field left with a chance of lifting the famous trophy on 14 July.
A two-day break is ended on Friday in the best way imaginable, as Germany and Spain clash in a battle of the two best teams to date, before France and Portugal face off.
Saturday sees England take on Switzerland, and today’s winners, the Dutch and the Turks, meet.
Who wins any of the games is anyone’s guess at this point.
