Netherlands 2-1 Turkey
The Euro 2024 semi-finals beckon for Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands after they won a thrilling clash against Turkey and now the Oranje will meet England in Dortmund on Wednesday.
Samet Akaydin headed Turkey into a first half lead but two goals in six minutes, from Stefan De Vrij and Cody Gakpo turned the game on its head to break Turkish heats and send the Orange fans into ecstacy.
After a stop start group campaign the Oranje hit their form against Romania with a 3-0 win and they were good to watch again tonight, but Turkey played their full part.
Highlights of the game
Turkey were without the suspended defender Merih Demiral, banned for making a political gesture after he scored in the win over Austria. Demiral is a big character and a miss for the Turks, but Vincenzo Montella’s side is fearless and they coped comfortably with early Oranje pressure while posing a real threat on the break. Memphis Depay and Xavi Simons took pot shots for the Netherlands but were off target and, for Turkey, Hakan Calhanoglu saw a well struck effort ricochet away for a corner.
Real Madrid’s 19 year old star Arda Guler has had a wonderful tournament; he has magic in his boots and his beautifully curled cross was inch perfect for defender Akaydin to get up early and guide his header past Bart Verbruggen to send the hoards of Turkey fans wild.
Guler’s cross is worth a look at the Euro 2024 highlights alone… this boy has a sparkling future.
But for the now; Oranje boss Ronald Koeman had a big half time talk to deliver. He made a change and brought a target man on, Burnley’s Wout Weghorst, in the hope of turning things around. And he almost did when Nathan Ake found him with a long ball which he headed across the goal inches away from Depay. The offside flag went up but it was mighty close.
Then Turkey were inches away from doubling their lead when Guler had a free-kick opportunity some 25 yards out. He hit a peach, curled around the defensive wall and Verbruggen got the fainted touch to turn it onto the post. And as the game began to become stretched Depay stung the palms of Turkey keeper Mert Gunok.
Cody Gakpo and Depay linked up to threaten an equaliser but, again, Turkey almost went 2-0 up when Kenan Yildiz blasted a shot which Verbruggen spilled, and it was striker Weghorst who made a desperate clearance before Kaan Ayhan could turn the ball home.
The Oranje came again and Weghorst forced a corner which bought the leveller. Depay played a short corner and when he got the ball back he curled a cross onto the head of Stefan De Vrij who powered his effort low and into the net. That goal was on 70 minutes and the turnaround was complete, six minutes later when Denzil Dumfries sent a low ball across the six yard box and Gakpo bundled it in at the far post…though the goal was later classed as a Mert Muldur own goal.
This Turkey team has been a joy to watch at Euro 2024 and they play with such belief that, against all the odds, they came agonisingly close to equalising. Zeki Celik’s shot was cleared off the line and a follow up from Kerem Akturcoglu was deflected narrowly wide. And, in injury time Verbruggen made a stunning reaction save to keep out a point blank header from Semih Kilicsoy to send the Oranje through to the semi-final.
Key statistics
This was an intriguing clash between the fancied outsiders of the Netherlands and the dark horses of Turkey with a semi-final place up for grabs. The Turks started the game with six players on yellow cards but that didn’t stop them getting up the Oranje’s noses and they went into the half time break ahead. While the Netherlands had more possession Turkey had taken six shots to four and had the only effort of the half on target.
They finished the game with 15 shots to 11 and four each on target but brave Turkey came out on the wrong side of a 2-1 result.
What’s next?
The pre-tournament SBOTOP Euro 2024 betting odds backed neither of these teams to make the final four but it’s become a reality for Koeman’s Netherlands.
England versus Switzerland went the way of the Three Lions after an evenly matched 120 minutes took it all the way to penalties, Trent Alexander-Arnold firing home the winning kick. And so, it’s England vs the Netherlands; another great clash to look forward to. And in the other semi-final we have Spain vs France; does it get any better?
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