In a nail-biting Euro 2024 quarter-final, the Netherlands triumphed over Turkey with a 2-1 victory, earning them a slot in the semi-final match against England. An electrifying last minute comeback defined the game, with Netherlands bouncing back from a 35-minute lead established by Turkey’s Samet Akaydin.
The eventful match in Berlin started off with promising attempts from the Dutch side, including a shot missed by Memphis Depay. However, the tempo dropped resulting in a largely disjointed first half for the Dutch side. On the other hand, Turkey managed to get a hold of the game nearing the end of the first half, culminating in Akaydin’s successful header set up by Real Madrid’s young talent, Arda Guler.
The second half saw the Dutch side gaining momentum with Wout Weghorst causing a stir in the Turkish defence. Notable attempts, including a near miss by Depay, began to mount up. However, Turkey’s threat persisted with Guler striking the post with a free-kick and a disputed penalty claim by the Turkish side.
The Netherlands’ equalizer arrived 70 minutes into the game when a cross from Depay, following a successful exchange with Jerdy Schouten, met the head of Stefan De Vrij. Mere moments later, Mert Muldur of Turkey scored an own goal under opposition pressure from Cody Gakpo, handing the Dutch their lead.
Turkey made a desperate last-ditch attempt at an equalizer, but Netherlands’ goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen successfully defended his net from Kerem Akturkoglu in a scene of heightened tension. As a result, the Dutch team secured their place in the Euro 2024 semi-finals against England.
Denzel Dumfries made a strong charge down the right side, delivering a low yet perilous pass towards Gakpo in the box. Despite the Liverpool forward’s aggressive attempt to control the ball, it ultimately deflected off Muldur before making its way into the goal. In response, the Turkish squad moved in an aggressive offence, only to have their efforts blocked by Schouten and Micky Van de Ven, preventing Zeki Celik and Akturkoglu from scoring. Akturkoglu faced further disappointment during injury time when Verbruggen adeptly stopped his point-blank shot, enabling the Dutch to hang on to their slim lead. The Turkish team’s exasperation was palpable, culminating in an untouched replacement, Bertug Yildirim receiving a red card for his disruptive behaviour along the sideline.