2024-06-19 12:53:56
ROME. Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey broke the ice in the easiest way doable at Euro 2024, beating debutant Georgia 3-1 and in addition a unfavourable custom that noticed the Turks all the time defeated within the opening match within the 5 continental tournaments they’d participated in up to now.
The three factors can be basic to succeed in the spherical of 16 in a gaggle F which additionally contains Portugal and the Czech Republic, on paper the 2 favorites to occupy the primary two locations. Two spectacular targets from Muldur and Guler, within the first and second half, put Montella’s boys forward, reached solely as soon as, by Mikautadze, however in damage time Georgia got here near equalizing twice, solely to be punished on the counterattack by Akturkoglu .
A celebration in Dortmund for the tens of hundreds of Turkey followers, even when there have been moments of stress within the stands, when the rival followers got here into contact earlier than the kick-off, in no way distracted by the storm that nearly flooded some areas of the Westfalenstadion. A stress that instantly spilled over onto the pitch, with Turkey beginning at a excessive tempo and instantly forcing Georgia into their backcourt, with a dense turnover of the ball throughout all the attacking entrance. Already within the first minutes, Montella’s crew, good at counting on younger abilities Yldiz and Guler, turned harmful, first twice with Ayhan and Bardacki with headers, then within the tenth minute Ayhan once more hit the submit with a right-footed shot from the sting . The siege continued and within the 14th minute the Juventus participant Yldiz challenged the Georgian goalkeeper once more. The Turkish purpose was within the air and got here within the twenty fifth minute, when Muldur volleyed a volley after a defender’s header, placing the ball into the highest nook. Two minutes later Turkey additionally doubled the lead by Yildiz, however the purpose was disallowed attributable to a centimeter offside.
The episode restored some confidence to Georgia who, on the uncommon events they’d, even in probably the most troublesome moments of the primary half hour, didn’t quit on being harmful, with goalkeeper Gunok compelled to cope with a shot from Mekvabishvili. And so within the thirty second minute Mikautadze equalized, changing into the primary scorer in Georgia’s historical past in a significant soccer occasion. Three minutes later, the attacker may have doubled the lead, however alone within the space he missed the goal.
Within the second half, Turkey, all the time led with a agency hand by Calhanoglu, picked up the tempo once more. The Nerazzurri midfielder put the goalkeeper in problem with a free kick, however the gem got here within the thirtieth minute, when the 19-year-old Arda Guler hit the fitting nook of Mamardashvili’s purpose with a curling shot from 25 metres. Nevertheless, Kvara and his teammates weren’t discouraged: Kochorashvili hit the crossbar within the thirty fifth minute, Mikautadze wasted a golden alternative in damage time, with the submit once more saying no to Davitashvili. The ultimate assault left the purpose unguarded and Akturkoglu made it 3-1 within the 52nd minute, a free kick that was too harsh for a really indomitable Georgia.
2024-06-19 12:53:56