Turkey obtained their Euro 2024 marketing campaign off to an exciting begin on Tuesday with a 3-1 win over Georgia that introduced delight to a passionate military of followers in soaking moist Dortmund. Actual Madrid midfielder Arda Guler crashed in an excellent aim within the sixty fifth minute at a Westfalenstadion dominated by tens of 1000’s of Turkey supporters earlier than Kerem Akturkoglu rolled dwelling the third deep in stoppage time as Georgia pushed for a late leveller. Guler, 19, had a tough time with accidents in his first season in Madrid however stepped up for Turkey in a fiercely-contested match with Georgia, who didn’t look misplaced of their first-ever match at a significant worldwide event.
Georgia had been harmful after Georges Mikautadze levelled Mert Muldur’s Twenty fifth-minute opener for Turkey simply after the half-hour mark, and had been denied a second equaliser by the woodwork and a sequence of saves and blocks.
However Akturkoglu made positive Turkey would prime the group forward of Portugal’s opening match with the Czech Republic afterward Tuesday.
Turkey took the cue from their fervent help and went at Georgia from the off, pressuring their inexperienced opposition excessive up the pitch as an enormous din got here rolling down the stands.
Kaan Ayhan and Abdulkerim Bardakci each went shut with headers from corners inside the primary 10 minutes earlier than Ayhan crashed a low drive off the within of the publish.
And in a breathless opening interval Anzor Mekvabishvili nearly gave Georgia a shock lead within the eleventh minute when his wildly deflected shot was nicely saved by Mert Gunok.
However Muldur sparked wild celebrations within the stands within the Twenty fifth minute with a shocking volley after Ferdi Kadioglu’s cross was cleared to him on the sting of the world.
The roars from Muldur’s aim had barely subsided when Kenan Yildiz poked dwelling what he thought was Turkey’s second, just for the aim to be dominated out for the Juventus attacker’s toes straying offside earlier than he tapped dwelling.
And Mikautadze surprised what was successfully the house crowd within the thirty second minute by sweeping dwelling Giorgi Kochorashvili’s low cross after sensible play down the best.
The small however loud Georgian contingent had their heads of their arms shortly afterwards when Mikautadze look sure to place their crew forward however dragged an important alternative vast.
Turkey once more began within the entrance foot after the break however Georgia held their very own and Mikautadze was within the thick of it once more within the 52nd minute when Bardakci blocked his effort after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s burst down the left.
Kvaratskhelia, who was below-par all through, then poked an excellent probability vast within the 62nd minute and solely moments later Guler took goal from distance and arrowed in an unstoppable shot previous the despairing Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Georgia pushed for an additional equaliser and got here desperately shut 5 minutes after Guler’s strike when Kochorashvili skipped previous a few weak challenges solely to see his shot rattle the crossbar.
However Kochorashvili and Zuriko Davitashvili had been each unlucky to not stage in added time as Mamardashvili pushed ahead for one final effort and Akturkoglu charged dwelling on the break to seal an exciting win.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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