Euro 2024 Wrap: Türkiye top dogs in Tuesday thriller as Portugal defeat Czechia with late goal
- Macdara Ferris
- Tue, Jun 18 2024
With just the two games on Tuesday at EURO 2024, in Dortmund Türkiye won the thrilling first Group F game 3-1 against Georgia who were making their debut in the tournament.
Mert Müldür’s volley opened the scoring in the 25th minute and it seemed that Türkiye doubled their lead through Kenan Yıldız only for a VAR decision to rule it out.
Mikautadze grabbed an equaliser soon after to leave it level at the break. 19-year-old Arda Güler scored a stunner in the 65th minute becoming the fifth youngest scorer in European Championship final histroy.
The win was wrapped up seven minutes into second half injury time by Kerem Aktürkoğlu who scored into an empty goal after Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was caught out up field for a corner.
Georgian coach Willy Sagnol speaking to UEFA.com said: "It's never nice when you lose, but we can be proud of our performance, for putting Georgian football in such a positive light.
"I think we had as many chances at they did in the end. All that was missing was a bit of talent, a bit of experience – the sort of things we're only going to gain through being in tournaments like this."
Türkiye: Mert Günok; Mert Müldür (Zeki Çelik 85), Samet Akaydin, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Ferdi Kadıoğlu; Kaan Ayhan (Demiral 79), Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Salih Özcan 90+2); Arda Güler (Yusuf Yazıcı 79), Orkun Kökçü, Kenan Yıldız (Kerem Aktürkoğlu 85); Barış Alper Yılmaz
Georgia: Mamardashvili; Kakabadze, Kverkvelia (Zivzivadze 85), Kashia, Dvali, Tsitaishvili (Lochoshvili 74); Kochorashvili, Mekvabishvili (Altunashvili 89), Chakvetadze (Davitashvili 74); Mikautadze, Kvaratskhelia
Portugal grabbed an injury time winner to break the hearts of Czechia.
Ronaldo & Co. had to come from behind after Provod got the opener in the 62th minute. A Hranáč own goal was the equaliser and then the hapless defender couldn’t clear the ball late on for the Portugeuse winner two minutes beyond the 90.
Substitute Francisco Conceição was quickest to react to slam home the winner with his left boot inside the six yard box.
Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl …
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