Arda Guler was among the many targets as Turkey seized the initiative in Group F with a pulsating win over European Championship debutants Georgia in Dortmund.
The Actual Madrid teen confirmed his monumental potential with a surprising strike halfway via the second half to quell the courageous problem of a Georgia facet who arguably deserved extra for an enterprising efficiency.
And Kerem Akturkoglu netted a decisive third deep into harm time, working from inside his personal half to faucet into an empty internet with Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili up for a nook.
ABSOLUTE SCENES! 🇹🇷#BBCEuros #Euro2024 #TURGEO pic.twitter.com/5LEA9mUo1K
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 18, 2024
Seconds earlier, Georgia struck a put up via Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s free-kick with a heroic block from Samet Akaydin denying Zuriko Davitashvili’s follow-up.
It was a outstanding finish to a powerful sport performed in a bear-pit ambiance.
Turkey opened the scoring with one other spectacular objective, Mert Mulder volleying in from the sting of the field after 25 minutes earlier than Georgia equalised seven minutes later via Georges Mikautadze.
Georgia had a number of different probabilities – Giorgi Kochorashvili coming inside inches of an injury-time leveller earlier than the even later drama unfolded.
The primary half was performed at a wide ranging tempo with each side maybe sensing a chance to take a large stride in direction of qualification with a win.
It was Turkey who settled first amid the noise and the rain with Kaan Ayhan and Abdulkerim Bardakci each seeing headers from corners narrowly miss the goal.
Vincenzo Montella’s males got here even nearer after 9 minutes with Ayhan driving in a shot which hit the within of Mamardashvili’s right-hand put up and bounced to security.
Mulder blasts Turkey in entrance
Mert Gunok saved nicely to maintain out a deflected Anzor Mekvabishvili effort on the different finish earlier than Turkey went in entrance in thrilling trend.
Ferdi Kadioglu’s cross was nodded clear to the sting of the world the place Mulder was ready to crash a spectacular volley into the highest right-hand nook.
Mert Muldur is not going to hit a greater volley in his whole profession! 🤩
A objective of the match contender?!#BBCEuros #Euro2024 #TURGEO pic.twitter.com/5bTegbuaXC
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 18, 2024
The roof virtually got here off Dortmund’s Sign Iduna Park and the amount elevated a minute later when Guler escaped down the appropriate and his cross was nudged on by Orkun Kokcu for Kenan Yildiz to fireside dwelling on the far put up.
The celebrations had been reduce quick this time, nevertheless, with Yildiz dominated to be fractionally offside.
Georgia had been gasping for air and requiring a spell of possession to take the sting out of the sport.
Georgian pleasure in Dortmund
Their star man Kvaratskhelia had been quiet as much as that time however he was concerned in a gradual and affected person build-up that led to the equaliser. Finally the ball was labored to Kochorashvili, who skipped previous his marker with a stunning step-over earlier than crossing to Mikautadze and he sidefooted previous Gunok at his close to put up.
“What a second for the nation of Georgia!”
The Euros debutants are degree in opposition to Turkey!#BBCEuros #Euro2024 #TURGEO pic.twitter.com/qoXMNFzg4Z
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 18, 2024
Georgian pleasure was unbridled and they need to have added a second earlier than half-time, Mikautadze volleying inches vast following good work from the spectacular Otar Kakabadze.
The second half began in an identical vein with Mikautadze denied by a last-ditch deal with by Bardakci.
Step by step, nevertheless, Turkey started to reassert their authority with captain Hakan Calhanoglu beginning to pull the strings in midfield.
The Inter midfielder pressured an unconventional save from Mamardashvili after 56 minutes – the goalkeeper repelling his highly effective free-kick with a one-handed punch.
Guler’s gobsmacker
Calhanoglu has been the darling of Turkish soccer for a few years however Guler is his inheritor obvious. And it was the 19-year-old who restored his facet’s lead after 65 minutes with a surprising objective. Turkey received the ball again in midfield and Guler took it on earlier than lashing a beautiful left-footed shot into the highest left-hand nook.
WOW! WOW! WOW!
What a objective for the “Turkish Messi” 🇹🇷#BBCEuros #Euro2024 #TURGEO pic.twitter.com/0QbOMynXNr
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 18, 2024
Turkey may have put the sport to mattress a minute later however Fadioglu opted to tug the ball again for Akaydin fairly than shoot and the possibility was misplaced.
They virtually paid the worth seconds later when Kochorashvili skipped via the Turkey defence earlier than clipping a shot on to the bar.
Substitute Yusuf Yazici virtually scored however his header was palmed clear by Mamardashvili earlier than Kochorashvili flashed a close-range shot narrowly vast. Kvaratskhelia and Davitashvili got here even nearer earlier than Akturkoglu had the ultimate say.
