Arda Güler announced himself on the EURO finals stage with a memorable goal as Turkey edged out debutants Georgia in Dortmund.
Arda Güler (No8) celebrates his winning strike
A stunning second-half strike from Real Madrid youngster Arda Güler helped Turkey earn a 3-1 victory in a UEFA EURO 2024 Group F thriller against debutants Georgia in Dortmund.
Key moments
10′ Kaan Ayhan’s fierce drive rattles upright
25′ Mert Müldür opens scoring with volley
32′ Mikautadze squeezes in equaliser
35′ Mikautadze drags shot narrowly wide
65′ Arda Güler fires in long-range stunner
70′ Kochorashvili thumps bar for Georgia
90+3′ Mikautadze fires a whisker wide
90+6′ Kvaratskhelia free-kick thumps post
90+7′ Kerem Aktürkoğlu fires into empty net
Match in brief: Turkey do it in style
Mert Müldür soaks up the applause
For much of the opening half-hour, the question was less who would win than how much Turkey would win by – with Hakan Çalhanoğlu setting the tempo, the Crescent-Stars sparkled. The goal frame had scarcely stopped vibrating from Kaan Ayhan’s fierce drive against the post when Mert Müldür met a headed clearance with the sweetest of volleys.
Kenan Yıldız found the net again moments later, with an effort disallowed for offside after consulting VAR. Georgia were rocking; no matter, Georges Mikautadze soon got them rolling. Just past the half-hour, the Metz forward diverted Giorgi Kochorashvili’s low cross in at the near post, and he was a whisker away from another moments later.
Amid driving rain, Turkey steadied the ship, re-establishing their dominance after the break, and Arda Güler drove home the advantage in emphatic fashion with a wonderful strike from distance. Georgia never knew they were beaten, though. Kochorashvili rattled the bar and, deep into added time, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s free-kick came back off the upright.
The debutants threw everything – including goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili – forward. With 97 minutes on the clock, however, Turkey settled it following a corner, substitute Kerem Aktürkoğlu side-footing into the empty net.
Vivo Player of the Match: Arda Güler (Turkey)
Aydın Güvenir, Turkey reporter
After losing the opening game at each of their five previous EURO appearances, Turkey have stopped the rot – aided by two extraordinary strikes. Vincenzo Montella’s side were pegged back after their first goal, but held on after the second before sealing all three points on the counter right at the death. It is their first victory at the EURO for eight years.
Mert Müldür volleys in the opener
Vakhtang Bzikadze, Georgia reporter
Georgia fall just short, but how valiant they were in defeat. They fought until the death, twice striking the frame of the goal as they sought a second equaliser. The debutants can exit with their heads held high, though, and now they know for sure: they belong on this stage.
Key stats
- Arda Güler is the first teenager to score on his EURO debut since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2004.
- Turkey won their opening EURO fixture for the first time; they lost each of their previous five.
- Debutants Georgia are the 36th modern-day nation to feature in a EURO finals; and the 36th to score
- Arda Güler, at 19 years 119 days, is the fifth youngest scorer at a EURO finals.
- Turkey became only the second side in EURO history to name two teens in their starting XI (19-year-olds Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız).
- Hakan Çalhanoğlu is only the second Turkey player to feature in three EURO final tournaments after Rüştü Reçber.
Line-ups
Turkey’s starting XI in Dortmund
Turkey: Mert Günok; Mert Müldür (Zeki Çelik 85), Samet Akaydin, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Kadıoğlu; Kaan Ayhan (Demiral 79), Çalhanoğlu; Arda Güler (Yusuf Yazıcı 79), Orkun Kökçü, Yıldız (Kerem Aktürkoğlu 85); Barış Alper Yılmaz
Georgia: Mamardashvili; Kakabadze, Kverkvelia (Zivzivadze 85), Kashia, Dvali, Tsitaishvili (Lochoshvili 74); Kochorashvili, Mekvabishvili, Chakvetadze (Davitashvili 74); Mikautadze, Kvaratskhelia