Netherlands scored twice in six second-half minutes to beat Turkey 2-1 and set up a Euro 2024 semi-final against England on Wednesday.
Netherlands had won just one of their previous 10 European Championship matches when behind at half-time yet were inspired by the introduction of striker Wout Weghorst at the break which helped force the turnaround.
Turkey had enjoyed the better of the first half and took their chance in the 35th minute when teenager Arda Guler delivered a perfect cross from the right for centre-back Samet Akaydin to head home from inside the six-yard box.
Team news:
Ronald Koeman named an unchanged side from Netherlands’ 3-0 victory over Romania in the last 16.
Turkey were forced into three changes due to suspensions. Samet Akaydin, Salih Ozcan and captain Hakan Calhanoglu all came into the side for Merih Demiral, İsmail Yuksek and Orkun Kokcu.
Netherlands’ attack had struggled to click but Weghorst, on for Steven Bergwijn at the interval, gave them more presence up against the three Turkey centre-backs, immediately setting up a chance for Memphis Depay.
Turkey, though, despite coming under more pressure in the second half, still saw Guler hit the outside of the left post with a long-range free-kick and forced the unsighted Bart Verbruggen to parry from Kenan Yildiz’s drive.
But after Weghorst’s volley had been tipped behind for a corner, Turkey switched off and Depay’s cross was headed in by the unmarked Stefan de Vrij in the 70th minute before Netherlands took the lead moments later when Mert Muldur inadvertently turned Denzel Dumfries’ cross into his own net under pressure from Cody Gakpo.
Turkey mounted a late onslaught with substitute Zeki Celik’s goalbound effort blocked yards from the line by Micky van de Ven and after Gakpo had been denied, Verbruggen made an outstanding save in added time to keep out Semih Kilicsoy from close range.
What they said…
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk said:
“How is my heart? It’s fine. You know they’re going to take a lot of risks, but now we’re in the semi-finals. This is very important and very beautiful, with such a crowd. We knew there would be a lot of Turks in the stadium, but I’m proud of these guys.
“In the end we got sloppy, but actually we didn’t give anything away. In the second half, we had to stay calm and take advantage of our chances. Of course, we thought it would be fine, it would be very bad if we didn’t think so. We are one step closer. We can get to work!”
Turkey captain Hakan Calhanoglu said:
“Unfortunately, we could only make it this far. I am happy if we could bring excitement to our nation. Of course, we wanted to continue this path. Unfortunately, there is also losing in football. I would like to, once again, thank all our fans.
“We didn’t start the second half well, we retreated. After the second goal, we tried long balls and took our chances.
“I am proud to have come this far. Everyone represented their country in the best possible way. I would like to thank all my team-mates.”
Marcel Sabitzer’s late strike saw Austria edge a five-goal thriller against the Netherlands and send them through to the knockout stage of Euro 2024 as Group D winners.
Ralf Rangnick’s well-organised and impressive side were twice pegged back in an entertaining contest in Berlin but Sabitzer had the final say 10 minutes from time.
A Donyell Malen own goal gave Austria an early lead with Romano Schmid putting them back in front after a Cody Gakpo leveller.
Memphis Depay scored the Netherlands’ second equaliser but it was not enough as Austria leapfrogged both them and runners-up France, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Poland in Dortmund.
Austria were rewarded for a bright start after just six minutes as Malen turned the ball into his own net from a low Alexander Prass cross.
The Netherlands struggled to respond with Tijjani Reijnders slicing well wide and Malen badly spurning a chance to atone when he scuffed a shot.
Austria continued to look the more dangerous with Sabitzer having an effort blocked and forcing a save from Bart Verbruggen. Florian Grillitsch also tested the keeper before Marko Arnautovic fluffed a good chance.
Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman sent Xavi Simons on to reinvigorate his side after just 35 minutes and it paid off when his break led to Gakpo’s fine equaliser.
The Dutch were not level for long as the impressive Schmid got on the end of a fine Grillitsch cross to power in a header, via a deflection.
The Netherlands pulled level again when Depay controlled a nod down from Wout Weghorst and fired in, with an initial ruling he handled being overturned by VAR.
But Austria were not done and hit back once again as Sabitzer found space on the left of the area and then smashed a powerful shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
There was still time for Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner to have a goal disallowed for offside and Weghort to send a diving header over the bar, but it was the side ranked 25th in the world who finished top of Group D on six points, with the Netherlands progressing as one of the best third-placed teams.
The game’s big moments…
Rangnick: An incredible feat to finish top
Austria coach Ralf Rangnick said: “We deserved to win in the end. Overall, we had the greater will to win and an extreme energy output on the pitch, which you could feel in every phase of the match.
“The way we reacted to the goals we conceded, that we didn’t bend, that we stayed true to our style of play and constantly kept seeking out our chances going forward.
“It’s incredible to finish top of a group that was the hardest possible based on UEFA coefficients.
“We started with an unlucky own goal against France, dealt with all the pressure put on us to win against Poland, and then to end as group winners is something very special.”
Koeman: We deserved to lose
Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman said: “We started very badly in many aspects. There were many openings for the opponent. We were not aggressive and there was a lack of pressure on the opponents.
“It was very bad. We did not control the match early. Later on we performed slightly better and we had a few opportunities, but they punished us.”
“We have to take responsibility on the pitch; we’re not entitled to get a better result.
“We knew before the match that if we finish third we would get a big nation in the next round. We will wait and see what happens.”
Analysis: Dangerous Austria won’t fear anyone
Sky Sports’ Dan Sansom:
Ralf Rangnick admitted there was doubt among the players when he was hired as Austria’s manager in 2022, but the 65-year-old has now led the nation to back-to-back wins at a major tournament for the first time since the 1982 World Cup – and he’s done so in impressive style.
Known as one of the godfathers of “gegenpressing”, the German has left a permanent mark on modern football and Austria’s current squad is excelling under his guidance.
Their aggressive, front-foot approach saw them perform well against France despite losing their Group D opener and more eye-catching displays followed in deserved wins over Poland and the Netherlands.
While Austria’s constant running and fluid movement caused constant problems for the Dutch in Berlin, their never-say-die attitude – instilled by Rangnick – was equally as impressive.
Many will view a nation ranked 25th in the world as a surprise package at this tournament, but Austria have now lost just twice in 18 matches.
Rangnick’s side are a force to be reckoned with. They won’t fear anyone in the knockout stage.
Who faces who in the last 16?
Austria will face the runners-up of Group F (currently Turkey) in the last 16, with France facing the runners-up in Group E (currently Belgium).
The Netherlands’ next opponents are not yet confirmed. They could face Group B winners Spain, Group C winners (currently England), or Group E winners (currently Romania).
Once the four best third-placed teams have been determined, UEFA then allocates each nation to a last-16 tie in line with its regulations.
How does ranking third-placed teams work?
The top two teams from each of the six groups will proceed to the round of 16.
Those 12 sides will be joined by four of the six third-placed finishers in the groups. The sides finishing third will be placed into a league table, with the top four sides progressing to the last 16.
The teams that finish third in their respective groups are ranked in order of the following criteria, starting with:
Points
Goal difference
Goals scored
Wins
Lower disciplinary points total
European Qualifiers overall ranking
The tournament then moves to a straight knockout format, with one-legged ties – including extra-time and penalties if necessary – until two sides reach the final on July 14 in Berlin.
Offside controversy took centre-stage in Kylian Mbappe’s absence as the Netherlands and France drew 0-0 in Group D in Leipzig.
Xavi Simons thought he had given the Netherlands the lead late in the game only for the flag to go up on the grounds that Denzel Dumfries had impacted on the play. Anthony Taylor ruled it out with video assistant referee Stuart Attwell confirming the decision.
The call was highly debatable as the ball arrowed into the bottom corner with goalkeeper Mike Maignan seemingly unprepared to dive. But the English officials ruled it out as this much-anticipated game ended in the first goalless draw of the tournament.
Didier Deschamps’ side had been on top in a game that otherwise failed to ignite without Mbappe, who remained on the bench following his broken nose. Antoine Griezmann had the best chances but could not find the finish.
The draw means that the Netherlands remain top of Group D, ahead of France on goal difference. Poland, who were beaten 3-1 by Austria earlier in the day, become the first nation to be eliminated from Euro 2024 as a consequence of the result.
What do the Laws say?
According to the IFAB Laws of the Game:
A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by:
interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or
interfering with an opponent by:
preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or
challenging an opponent for the ball or
clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or
making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball
*The first point of contact of the ‘play’ or ‘touch’ of the ball should be used.
Analysis: Saliba shines | More to come from France
Two games in for France and, thanks to that highly-debatable offside call against the Netherlands, two clean sheets for the tournament favourites. Arsenal’s William Saliba has been a big factor in that, oozing class in the centre of the France defence.
An ideal foil for the physical Dayot Upamecano, those much-publicised comments by Deschamps alluding to weaknesses in Saliba’s game only become more baffling after each performance. There cannot be many better defenders in European football.
The underlying numbers better reflect France’s control than that Simons moment. Against Austria, they registered an expected-goals total of 2.13 compared to their opponents’ 0.76. Here, their total was 1.42 compared to their opponents’ paltry 0.33.
At the other end, the goals will surely start flowing soon. Even without Mbappe, they created chances. Griezmann should have scored at least one, twice failing to find the finish from close range. One goal from two games does not tell the full story.
Either side of Saliba and Upamecano, the full-backs are rock solid and N’Golo Kante as impressive as ever in midfield. The forward players have not fired yet but the options in attack are plentiful. Expect Mbappe to have his day when the stakes are a little higher.
That might seem a generous interpretation after four points from two games – the same as England. But this side appears happier in its skin. Saliba has won over Deschamps. It would not be a surprise if the rest of France has followed suit by mid-July in Berlin.
Euro 2024 has been remarkably free from officiating debate let alone controversy, a flick of Lois Openda’s hand being the chief cause for chatter. That changed on Friday evening and many will be amused that an English officiating team found itself at the centre of it.
The uneasy delays, the frantic glances, the interminable wait, the total lack of clarity. That familiar Premier League feeling returned as Anthony Taylor held his ear piece, awaiting Stuart Attwell’s verdict. It was almost enough to make you feel nostalgic.
Experts on the Laws of the Game may well tell us that the decision to rule out Xavi Simons’ strike into the corner of Mike Maignan’s net was correct on the grounds that the goalkeeper had spotted the presence of Denzel Dumfries in an offside position.
Those more familiar with watching football than reading rules might nevertheless conclude that Maignan would have been unlikely to tag Dumfries let alone the ball that was bound for his goal regardless. Diving for it was a thought barely formed in his brain.
That the decision fell to Taylor and co was a mere unhappy coincidence, in truth – and at least the consequences of the call are likely to be relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of the tournament, unless you happen to be a particularly optimistic Pole.
Let us hope that this little Group D moment was as controversial as the officiating will get at Euro 2024 and the next three weeks continue to play out serenely amid scenes of swift semi-automated bliss. Not convinced? Me neither. Adam Bate
Saliba shines | More to come from France
Two games in for France and, thanks to that highly-debatable offside call against the Netherlands, two clean sheets for the tournament favourites. Arsenal’s William Saliba has been a big factor in that, oozing class in the centre of the France defence.
An ideal foil for the physical Dayot Upamecano, those much-publicised comments by Didier Deschamps alluding to weaknesses in Saliba’s game only become more baffling after each performance. There cannot be many better defenders in European football.
What is striking is how easy he makes it all look, a defender whose contribution does not necessarily always show up in the statistics. For instance, he did not make a single tackle. But he did not need to. He kept the ball with 86 of his 87 passes in the match.
The underlying numbers better reflect France’s control than that Xavi Simons moment. Against Austria, they registered an expected-goals total of 2.13 compared to their opponents’ 0.76. Here, their total was 1.42 compared to their opponents’ paltry 0.33.
At the other end, the goals will surely start flowing soon. Even without Kylian Mbappe, they created chances. Antoine Griezmann should have scored at least one, twice failing to find the finish from close range. One goal from two games does not tell the full story.
Either side of Saliba and Upamecano, the full-backs are rock solid and N’Golo Kante as impressive as ever in midfield. The forward players have not fired yet but the options in attack are plentiful. Expect Mbappe to have his day when the stakes are a little higher.
That might seem a generous appraisal after four points from two games – the same as England. But this side appears happier in its skin. Saliba has won over Deschamps. It would not be a surprise if the rest of France has followed suit by mid-July in Berlin. Adam Bate
Amazing Austria are ones to watch
Austria had a place in many analysts’ Euro 2024 ‘dark horses’ picks. You can definitely see why after their latest display.
Ralf Rangnick’s side picked up their first win against Poland but did so in a very attractive style.
Full-backs Stefan Posch and Philipp Mwene were arguably their best sources of attack. Sitting midfielders Nicolas Seiwald and Konrad Laimer generated some of their best chances of the game. Poland’s defence could not deal with Christoph Baumgartner and Marcel Sabitzer’s running and work in the half spaces.
Now Austria stand on the brink of the knockout rounds and face a big game against the Netherlands to seal their place.
Getting second place could be crucial as it could be England in the first knockout round if they finish third. But looking at how both teams are playing, would that be so bad? Sam Blitz
Emotional Ukraine deserve this moment
After Monday’s shock loss to Romania – a team ranked 23 places below them in the world rankings – Ukraine knew they had to respond against Slovakia to have a realistic chance of reaching the last 16, but they were disappointing in the first half even though they created several chances.
Despite their below-par performance, Rebrov’s decision to drop Real Madrid goalkeeper Lunin was an inspired one, with replacement Trubin making four fine saves which suggested he should have been his country’s No 1 in the first place.
The Benfica stopper kept his side in the match before Mudryk, who initially struggled to make an impact, began to grow in confidence. The Chelsea winger played an instrumental role in Ukraine’s equaliser and was unlucky not to score himself before being substituted with five minutes remaining.
By that time, he had already been involved in wild celebrations after substitute Yaremchuk produced a spectacular touch and finish to get Ukraine’s tournament up and running.
The winner saw Yaremchuk break down in tears and earn a kiss on the head from Zinchenko before the emotional scenes continued when the players applauded their supporters inside the Dusseldorf Arena after the final whistle.
Of course, many more Ukrainians will be watching from around the world and while it won’t change the heartbreaking situation back home, their first comeback win at the Euros since 2012 will hopefully bring some joy to those who need it most. Dan Sansom
Poland lose again to assume unwanted status as first nation out
Robert Lewandowski’s absence due to a thigh injury was felt in Poland’s opening defeat to the Netherlands – and Austria must’ve been licking their lips when team news dropped on Friday night and they saw the talisman was, once again, not spearheading the attack.
It likely provided something of a mental boost for Ralf Rangnick’s men, who started like a house on fire in Berlin and scored the early goal that set the tone for the rest of the evening.
In truth, there wasn’t really a certain point where they were crying out for Lewandowski; for the second game in succession, a player deputising for him scored. It was Adam Buksa in the first game, Krzysztof Piatek in the second.
And when the Barcelona striker did come on, he had just 11 touches in around 34 minutes anyway.
As the case had been against the Dutch, it wasn’t that Poland were bad on the night, it was just that Austria were better. Rangnick has got them looking like a team with real promise; one to keep a very close eye on.
There were signs of Polish promise, certainly, but they mean nothing now. The fact the Netherlands and France played out a goalless draw later on in the evening means Poland are the first nation to exit the tournament. They are by no means a one-man team, but would an earlier introduction for Lewandowski have made the difference? We’ll never know. Dan Long
Offside controversy took centre-stage in Kylian Mbappe’s absence as the Netherlands and France drew 0-0 in Group D in Leipzig.
Xavi Simons thought he had given the Netherlands the lead late in the game only for the flag to go up on the grounds that Denzel Dumfries had impacted on the play. Anthony Taylor ruled it out with video assistant referee Stuart Attwell confirming the decision.
The call was highly debatable as the ball arrowed into the bottom corner with goalkeeper Mike Maignan seemingly unprepared to dive. But the English officials ruled it out as this much-anticipated game ended in the first goalless draw of the tournament.
Didier Deschamps’ side had been on top in a game that otherwise failed to ignite without Mbappe, who remained on the bench following his broken nose. Antoine Griezmann had the best chances but could not find the finish.
The draw means that the Netherlands remain top of Group D, ahead of France on goal difference. Poland, who were beaten 3-1 by Austria earlier in the day, become the first nation to be eliminated from Euro 2024 as a consequence of the result.
What do the Laws say?
According to the IFAB Laws of the Game:
A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by:
interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or
interfering with an opponent by:
preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or
challenging an opponent for the ball or
clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or
making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball
*The first point of contact of the ‘play’ or ‘touch’ of the ball should be used.
Analysis: Saliba shines | More to come from France
Two games in for France and, thanks to that highly-debatable offside call against the Netherlands, two clean sheets for the tournament favourites. Arsenal’s William Saliba has been a big factor in that, oozing class in the centre of the France defence.
An ideal foil for the physical Dayot Upamecano, those much-publicised comments by Deschamps alluding to weaknesses in Saliba’s game only become more baffling after each performance. There cannot be many better defenders in European football.
The underlying numbers better reflect France’s control than that Simons moment. Against Austria, they registered an expected-goals total of 2.13 compared to their opponents’ 0.76. Here, their total was 1.42 compared to their opponents’ paltry 0.33.
At the other end, the goals will surely start flowing soon. Even without Mbappe, they created chances. Griezmann should have scored at least one, twice failing to find the finish from close range. One goal from two games does not tell the full story.
Either side of Saliba and Upamecano, the full-backs are rock solid and N’Golo Kante as impressive as ever in midfield. The forward players have not fired yet but the options in attack are plentiful. Expect Mbappe to have his day when the stakes are a little higher.
That might seem a generous interpretation after four points from two games – the same as England. But this side appears happier in its skin. Saliba has won over Deschamps. It would not be a surprise if the rest of France has followed suit by mid-July in Berlin.
The top stories and transfer rumours from Monday’s newspapers…
THE SUN
Manchester United have reignited their interest in Xavi Simons – after initially agreeing a £50m transfer fee for him last summer.
Manchester United are reportedly also planning a bid for Matthijs De Ligt.
England stars will earn a staggering bonus of £14m if they win Euro 2024.
A look back at Netherlands star Xavi Simons’ stellar season for RB Leipzig as the playmaker looks set to light up Euro 2024
DAILY MAIL
Erik ten Hag joked that Manchester United ‘disturbed’ his holiday to tell him that he would be keeping his job this summer.
Kylian Mbappe called on the young people of France to unite and vote for inclusion and against division to stop the rise of the Far Right in upcoming elections.
Chelsea are reportedly prepared to offer two first-team squad members to Crystal Palace in a swap deal to secure the signing of Michael Olise.
Watch the best of Michael Olise, the gifted Crystal Palace winger who is attracting interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs this summer
DAILY MIRROR
Luis Diaz suffered a gruelling tackle in Colombia’s 3-0 friendly win against Bolivia on Saturday evening that spawned a mass brawl and two red cards.
AC Milan sent a scout to Dortmund on Saturday night to watch transfer target Armando Broja in the flesh for Albania.
THE ATHLETIC
Kylian Mbappe won’t be taking part in the Olympic Games in Paris but will be watching as a fan and hopes France “bring home the gold medal”.
Erik ten Hag says Manchester United concluded “they already had the best manager” after the club’s end-of-season review culminated in a decision to keep the Dutch coach.
Brazil have confirmed their final squad for Copa America with Lucas Paqueta, as expected, included.
Real Madrid academy forward Iker Bravo has announced he is departing the club.
Here are the answers to five of your most popular questions after Manchester United confirmed Erik ten Hag is remaining as manager
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Emma Raducanu insisted she is looking after her tennis future – and not being a diva – after turning down the chance to represent Great Britain at the Olympics.
DAILY RECORD
Rangers have struck a £1.7m deal for striker Hamza Igamane and hope to back it up with the capture of Connor Barron this week.
Yusuf Kabadayi is reportedly set to hold crunch talks with Bayern Munich over an exit with Rangers keen on a move.
Sheffield Wednesday have made a move for Queen Park’s Max Willoughby.
SCOTTISH SUN
Atletico Madrid have already failed with a loan-to-buy bid for Matt O’Riley and now Celtic are looking for ‘even more’ than the reported £17m rebuffed back in January, according to claims in Spain.
Netherlands survived an early scare to defeat Poland 2-1 in Hamburg in the opening game of Group D at Euro 2024 as former Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst came off the bench to score a late winner.
Robert Lewandowski was absent for the Poles due to a hamstring injury, but his replacement Adam Buksa filled the void to glance Michal Probierz’s side in front (16) from Piotr Zielinski’s corner.
Netherlands, who had already missed good chances through Tijjani Reijnders and Xavi Simons, ought to have levelled when Memphis Depay lifted his shot over the bar six minutes later – but they restored parity when Cody Gakpo’s deflected shot wrong-footed Wojciech Szczesny (29).
It was the first of five attempts Gakpo had in the first-half during a wasteful performance – the joint-most on record (since 1980) for a Dutch player in the first half of a match at the Euros.
Poland needed the interval, but they showed more attacking intent upon the restart as Jakub Kiwior’s shot took a nick off Nathan Ake and forced Bart Verbruggen to make the save, before Piotr Zielinski’s attempt from 20 yards brought another smart stop from the Dutch goalkeeper.
This was a spirited Polish team but after Denzel Dumfries swept another attempt wide of the far post, it was substitute Weghorst – still a Burnley player – who scored the winner within five minutes of coming off the bench, latching onto a clever through ball from Nathan Ake to guide home his seventh goal in his last 11 appearances for the Oranje.
Poland refused to give up as substitute Karol Swiderski nearly levelled when he met Jakub Piotrowski’s cross to fire low towards the near post and have Verbruggen at full stretch before Piotrowski’s follow-up was blazed into the side-netting.
The result means the Netherlands top the group ahead of France facing Austria in the other match from the opening gameweek in Düsseldorf on Monday.
Bangladesh are primed to join South Africa in the Super 8s after defeating Netherlands by 25 runs in a crucial Twenty20 World Cup match delayed by a wet outfield.
Shakib Al-Hasan hit 64 as Bangladesh posted 159 after being put in, and although Netherlands looked in control of their pursuit with valuable contributions from Vikram Singh, Sybrand Engelbrecht and Scott Edwards, they ultimately came up short to knock Sri Lanka out of the tournament.
Bangladesh made a poor start as Najmul Shanto (one) and Litton Das (one) both fell early before Tanzid Hasan (35) and Shakib rebuilt the innings before the former chipped Paul Van Meerkeren to Bas de Leede leaving them 71-3 after nine overs.
Towhid Hridoy fell for nine and Mahmudullah’s 24 from 20 set a platform for Bangladesh to attack in the final overs.
Jaker Ali (14) and Shakib (64) added 26 from the final two overs to propel Bangladesh up to 159 at the halfway point.
Netherlands made a slow start in response but Singh provided the impetus, launching three sixes in his quickfire 26 from 15 to leave his side needing 86 from the final 10 overs.
Netherlands were in the driving seat when Engelbrecht (33 from 22) put his foot on the gas but he spooned Rishad Hossain to Hasan and De Leede followed in the same over with Netherlands still 49 runs short of their 160 target.
And when Edwards (25 from 23) fell to Mustafizur Rahman their challenge was over to leave Bangladesh second in the Group behind South Africa.
What’s Next?
Ireland face USA in Florida from 3.30pm on Friday, needing a win to keep their hopes of advancing from Group A alive.
Victory for the USA or a washout would take the co-hosts into the Super 8s, alongside already-qualified India, and knock out winless Ireland as well as Pakistan and Canada.
Watch every match from the T20 World Cup, including the final in Barbados on Saturday June 29, live on Sky Sports.
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