Euro 2024: Turkey’s ‘Gordon Banks’ save stuns ousted Austria

Austria’s coach Ralf Rangnick expressed shock on Tuesday over his aspect’s Euro 2024 exit by the hands of Turkey, ruing their failure to transform strain into possibilities and a spectacular last-gasp save that stopped the sport going to additional time.

Rangnick mentioned his group had performed 4 entertaining, intense matches and have been worthy of a quarterfinal berth however paid the value for poor defending that noticed them go behind after 57 seconds to a buoyant Turkish aspect.

Merih Demiral pounced on a bungled Austrian effort to clear a nook and he doubled Turkey’s lead simply earlier than the hour mark earlier than Michael Gregoritsch pulled one again seven minutes later.

Austria flicked the change however struggled to create substantive possibilities till a potent stoppage-time header from Christoph Baumgartner bounced off the turf and was saved spectacularly by goalkeeper Mert Gunok.

“In case you’re behind with two objectives, then issues are not any simpler. The group tried all the things. We then scored one objective and we had sufficient time to realize a draw,” Rangnick advised a information convention.

“It is troublesome you probably have Gordon Banks in objective,” he mentioned, likening Gunok’s save to that famously pulled off by the late England goalkeeper from a header from Brazil’s Pele within the 1970 World Cup.

Austria’s elimination extends to seven many years their unfathomable failure to win a match within the knockout rounds of a serious event.

“You additionally want a little bit of luck. If Baumgartner’s header on the finish would have gone in, we may have gained this recreation,” Rangnick mentioned.

“This was a historic likelihood to win, to go to the quarterfinal and play in opposition to the Netherlands. I can’t imagine that we’re going house at the moment. We thought that we’d proceed our journey right here,” he mentioned.

Turkey supervisor Vincenzo Montella mentioned his group needed to dig deep to safe the win.

“Nobody gave up,” Montella mentioned. “Everybody gave a bit additional when it comes to their soul, and for a head coach, you recognize that there are matches reminiscent of these and you’ll solely win matches reminiscent of these if there’s a soul throughout the squad.

“There’s that perception, that conviction. I may go on all evening, however I noticed all of these attributes, and that makes me very proud.”

Rangnick mentioned his group now needed to capitalise on their momentum and guarantee qualification for the World Cup, which might be for the primary time since 1998.

“We’re partially one in the mean time, and that hasn’t occurred for years, that we’re partially one and we need to keep there. And we’ve a great likelihood to qualify for a World Cup after a few years,” he mentioned.

One participant who could not determine is striker Marko Arnautovic, who hinted Tuesday’s defeat may very well be his final outing for the nationwide aspect.

“It is very bitter, it is insanity that we left the sport like this,” Arnautovic mentioned. “For us, it is over. The coach mentioned ‘chin up’.”

“It may very well be that it is my final recreation,” he added.