Türkiye 3-1 Georgia: Arda Güler thunderbolt lights up thrilling win

A stunning second-half strike from Real Madrid youngster Arda Güler helped Türkiye earn a 3-1 victory in a UEFA EURO 2024 Group F thriller against debutants Georgia in Dortmund.

Match in brief: Türkiye do it in style

Mert Müldür soaks up the applause AFP via Getty Images

For much of the opening half-hour, the question was less who would win than how much Türkiye 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, Türkiye 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, Türkiye settled it following a corner, substitute Kerem Aktürkoğlu side-footing into the empty net.

Vivo Player of the Match: Arda Güler (Türkiye)

He created a lot of problems in the second half when he played through the middle, and it was a good pass from him that led to the first goal; his excellent goal helped decide the game. He also demonstrated leadership, getting instructions across to others. He made the difference.
UEFA Technical Observer panel

Aydın Güvenir, Türkiye reporter

After losing the opening game in each of their five previous EURO appearances, Türkiye stopped the rot – aided by two extraordinary strikes. Vincenzo Montella's side were pegged back after their first goal but held on following their 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.

Georges Mikautadze celebrates his equaliserGetty Images

Reaction

Vincenzo Montella, Türkiye coach: "It was a match worthy of the finals. We had 22 shots on goal. We need to be more accurate as we won't always be able to afford to miss so many, but I did appreciate the performance. We relaxed a bit after the VAR disallowed the second goal, but that happens. I turned 50 today so this was the best present I could have received."

Willy Sagnol, Georgia coach: "It's never nice when you lose, but we can be proud of our performance, for putting Georgian football in such a positive light. I think we had as many chances at they did in the end. All that was missing was a bit of talent, a bit of experience – the sort of things we're only going to gain through being in tournaments like this."

Arda Güler, Türkiye winger: "It was a tough game and I congratulate my team for the win. It isn't enough to say the support was great; it was more than that. It was great to get the win for the coach. I don't care about personal achievements; I'm all about the team and I'm delighted to play my part."

Key stats

• Arda Güler is the first teenager to score on his EURO debut since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2004.
• Türkiye won their opening EURO fixture for the first time; they had 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 114 days, is the fifth youngest scorer at a EURO finals.
• Türkiye 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 Türkiye player to feature in three EURO final tournaments after Rüştü Reçber.
• Türkiye have lost only two of their last 15 competitive matches (W10 D3).

Line-ups

Türkiye's starting XI in DortmundGetty Images

Türkiye: Mert Günok; Mert Müldür (Zeki Çelik 85), Samet Akaydin, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Ferdi Kadıoğlu; Kaan Ayhan (Demiral 79), Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Salih Özcan 90+2); Arda Güler (Yusuf Yazıcı 79), Orkun Kökçü, Kenan Yıldız (Kerem Aktürkoğlu 85); Barış Alper Yılmaz

Georgia: Mamardashvili; Kakabadze, Kverkvelia (Zivzivadze 85), Kashia, Dvali, Tsitaishvili (Lochoshvili 74); Kochorashvili, Mekvabishvili (Altunashvili 89), Chakvetadze (Davitashvili 74); Mikautadze, Kvaratskhelia