A tie that had promised noise, tempo and a rattling intensity delivered emphatically. At its conclusion Turkey’s substitutes and staff could hurtle on to the pitch in celebration of a quarter-final spot, their colleagues having seen out wave after wave of Austria pressure that did not yield a leveller. They will face the Netherlands in Berlin after seeing out a game they led for all bar the first 57 seconds, the centre-back Merih Demiral scoring the second-fastest goal in European Championship history and adding another in the second half. Despite a response from Michael Gregoritsch and a frantic finale that brought heroics from the Turkey keeper Mert Gunok, there was to be disappointment for Ralf Rangnick’s highly fancied team.
The smart money had been on an early goal; the surprise was that it came from Turkey. They had been well warned about Austria’s propensity to score inside the first 10 minutes and, when Rangnick’s side poured forward from kick-off, it seemed reasonable to anticipate more of the same.
But Turkey won a corner inside 30 seconds and an already deafening crowd, whipped into further frenzy by Kaan Ayhan’s whirling arms before it was taken, were about to unleash pandemonium. What a scrappy effort it was, Arda Guler’s inswinger from the right looking like drifting in until Christoph Baumgartner blocked on the line. He only succeeded in knocking it against Stefan Posch at point-blank range and the ball was goalbound until Patrick Pentz scooped clear. The reprieve lasted a millisecond: Demiral smashed the loose ball in and Turkey were ahead after under a minute. This was bedlam, the opening stages played at a phenomenal tempo with play ripping from end to end. Baumgartner, perfectly at home here as an RB Leipzig player, almost equalised immediately but drilled just wide. Then a Romano Schmid corner almost wrought an equaliser remarkably similar to the opener, his low delivery running across the face of goal before Demiral somehow bundled clear with Baumgartner in attendance.
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It had been billed as a contest between Turkish emotion and Austria’s mechanised drills. Vincenzo Montella, who had urged his players not to be overcome by thirst to avenge the 6-1 friendly defeat they were dealt in Vienna three months ago, had thought rather more logically and set Turkey up with a back three. Perhaps that was an effort to stop Austria from swamping them in central areas, particularly given their suspended captain Hakan Calhanoglu was not around to call the tune.
They could not stop Philipp Lienhart meeting another corner, but the centre-back headed over. Austria kept coming back but as the first half developed they were clearly finding difficulties creating space. It was Guler, trying to catch Pentz out with an audacious attempt from halfway, who provided the next excitement before Demiral spurned a fine opportunity to double his tally when crashing a header off target at the near post.
Turkey were breaking smartly, brilliant play down the right by Baris Alper Yilmaz begging a cross to the unmarked Kenan Yildiz. In the event Yilmaz overcooked it, but he and his teammates had their opponents where they wanted them. Ismael Yuksek drew roars by running back to dispossess a surging Schmid; for all their energy and pressing, Austria had lacked poise when nearing the penalty area. When they did find another opening, Baumgartner stabbed wide.
By the interval Turkey were broadly in control. Rangnick switched things up, introducing the offensive left-back Alexander Prass and the giant forward Gregoritsch. They tore out of the blocks again, Gregoritsch heading wide before Turkey were finally picked apart. Stefan Posch’s cute ball played Marko Arnautovic in but Gunok, hitherto well protected, did superbly to block.
At this point Turkey were under a barrage, Konrad Laimer slaloming into the area but skewing wide. Then the right-back Posch saw a shot blocked and Austria were beginning to find an extra man all over the attacking third. But they had not made it count and there was an obvious risk of punishment.
It arrived shortly after Turkey, via a run and shot from Ferdi Kadioglu, had at last ventured forward. That momentum was channelled, almost instantly, into a corner. Guler was pelted with plastic cups as he shaped to take it, but was undeterred from whipping in another gorgeous delivery that Demirel converted emphatically after rising above Kevin Danso.
Game over? It never quite seemed likely. Austria never slow down and finally scored from their own corner, Gregoritsch stationed to slam in Posch’s header after Marcel Sabitzer had crossed.
There was an epic quality to proceedings now, rain driving down steadily and Austria hurling bodies upfield. Baumgartner beat Gunok to a cross but headed wide and was later wayward again, too. Then, with virtually the final action, he drew an astonishing save from the keeper and bedlam duly ensued.
