Football News: Austria and Turkey Battle for Euro 2024 Quarter-Final Spot
Euro 2024 dark horses Austria and Turkey will lock horns next week, with a spot in the tournament’s quarter-finals on the line. The two competition outsiders have emerged as two of the most entertaining teams, and now a last-eight place is up for grabs.
Austria’s Stunning Rise
Austria, led by manager Ralf Rangnick, stunned the continent by edging a five-goal thriller against the Netherlands to top Group D, leapfrogging favorites France and the Netherlands in the process. The Austrians will now fancy their chances of going deep in the tournament, with a quarter-final reunion with Ronald Koeman’s Oranje or a tie with Romania on offer.
Turkey’s Resilience
However, Turkey, under the guidance of Vincenzo Montella, will pose an intriguing test. The Turks bounced back from an early defeat to Portugal to overcome the Czech Republic and qualify as Group F runners-up. Turkey will also be buoyed by their impressive record against Austria, having gone unbeaten without conceding in their last five competitive meetings.
The Upcoming Clash
This Euro 2024 last-16 clash will take place on Tuesday, July 2, with kick-off at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig scheduled for 8pm. talkSPORT will have live coverage of the match, presented by Hugh Woozencroft, with commentary from Joe Shennan and former Scotland striker Chris Iwelumo.
“Austria and Turkey have met only a handful of times in the past, with the Austrians winning two of the last three encounters (L1), including a 6-1 victory in March of this year. However, in competitive matches, Turkey are unbeaten in their last five games against Austria (W4 D1), keeping a clean sheet each time.”
Austria will be without the suspended Patrick Wimmer, while they continue to miss the services of Real Madrid star and talisman David Alaba, who will continue his “non-playing captain” role in the dugout. Turkey, on the other hand, have been hit hard by suspensions, with both captain Hakan Calhanoglu and center-back Samet Akaydin sidelined.
This match-up promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams looking to secure a coveted quarter-final berth in Euro 2024. As the competition continues to unfold, the stage is set for Austria and Turkey to battle it out for a place in the last eight.
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