Guler stunner helps Turkey claim entertaining win over Georgia

A goal of the tournament contender from Turkey’s teenage sensation Arda Guler helped seal an opening 3-1 victory over debutants Georgia in the most entertaining game so far at Euro 2024.

Mert Muldur’s volleyed opener was cancelled out by Georges Mikautadze in the first half before Guler’s exquisite strike and a last-gasp counter-attack finish from substitute Kerem Akturkoglu ended any chance of a shock Georgian win on their major tournament bow.

But Willy Sagnol’s side proved they belonged at this level in a thrilling encounter in dreadful conditions in Dortmund, where both sides hit the woodwork in a combined 37 efforts over the 90 minutes.

Turkey go top of Group F for now, with Portugal set to face Czech Republic later on Tuesday.

An apocalyptic rainstorm produced several waterfalls in the corners of the stadium in the hours before kick-off, but mercifully the skies cleared in time for the action to get under way in Dortmund.

Turkey seemingly weren’t put off one bit by the conditions as they started fast, incessantly attacking Georgia and creating a string of early chances, with Kaan Ayhan thumping the post with a daisy-cutter.

A Turkish goal felt inevitable by the time Muldur volleyed in a superb opener, and Vincenzo Montella’s side looked set to run away with it when they doubled their advantage straight from the restart, only for VAR to spot that scorer Kenan Yildiz was offside.

Georgia needed to respond and that’s what they did in some style when Mikautadze squeezed a shot in at the front post to mark his country’s first major tournament goal and stall the Turkish momentum.

As chances continued to rain down at both ends after the break, Turkey produced another moment of exquisite quality to get back in front when teenage sensation Guler guided a 25-yard curler into the far top corner.

But Georgia would not give up the fight and hit the woodwork twice in the closing stages before leaving every player forward in a last-gasp bid to equalise that went awry when Turkey countered to leave Akturkoglu finishing into an empty net.

Few would have expected that Turkey’s clash with Georgia on a stormy day in Dortmund would produce the most thrilling football we’ve seen so far at Euro 2024, but it would be hard to deny that was the case.

In a breathless 90 minutes, both sides were more than happy to attack at every opportunity in front of an astonishingly loud crowd dominated by Turkish fans.

Georgia’s major tournament debut won’t be forgotten quickly and they showed plenty of encouraging signs despite defeat, while Turkey will leave with real excitement for the future after their two teenage wingers, Guler and Kenan Yildiz, both impressed.

The hype around Guler is only going to grow after this start to Euro 2024. The Real Madrid winger caught fire at the end of the La Liga season with five goals in five games, and he looks to have taken that form into his first major tournament.

The 19-year-old’s strike was an absolute peach, and the cherry on top of a performance filled with neat footwork, dangerous deliveries and clever movement. Guler has arrived.

Turkey: Gunok 7; Muldur 8, Akaydin 8, Bardakci 7, Kadioglu 8; Ayhan 8, Calhanoglu 7; Guler 9, Kokcu 7, Yildiz 7; Yılmaz 7

Subs: Demiral 6, Celik 7, Yazici 6, Akturkoglu 7, Ozcan N/A

Georgia: Mamardashvili 7; Kverkvelia 6, Kashia 6, Dvali 6; Kakabadze 7, Mekvabishvili 7, Kochorashvili 8, Chakvetadze 6, Tsitaishvili 6; Kvaratskhelia 7, Mikautadze 8

Subs: Lochoshvili 6, Davitashvili 6, Zirzivadze N/A, Altunashvili N/A

10’ TURKEY HIT THE POST! So close! They can’t believe they aren’t in front here. Georgia can’t clear their lines and the ball is worked back to Ayhan at the edge of the box. The midfielder hits a perfect daisy-cutter towards the bottom corner, but it cannons off the inside of the post and out to safety.

25’ GOAL! TURKEY 1-0 GEORGIA (MULDUR): Take. A. Bow! It’s been coming, and the opening goal arrives in sensational style from Turkey right-back Muldur. Kadioglu dinks a cross into the box and it’s headed out to the edge, where Muldur waits for it to drop before lacing a volley into the top corner.

28’ DISALLOWED GOAL – TURKEY: What a let-off for Georgia! Moments after the restart, Turkey double their lead and this place goes bananas. It’s a flowing move down the right to find Guler, who puts a ball in and Kokcu nudges it on to Yildiz to finish at the back post, but the Juventus winger was offside.

33’ GOAL! TURKEY 1-1 GEORGIA (MIKAUTADZE): Unbelievable! What a goal from Georgia, set up superbly by Kochorashvili, who dances past his marker with a step over to drag a ball into the box and Mikautadze’s clever first-time finish beats Gunok at his near post.

65’ GOAL! TURKEY 2-1 GEORGIA (GULER): Whaaaaat?! Arda Guler, that is OUTRAGEOUS! The Real Madrid man has shown flashes of his ability tonight, but right there is a punch-in-the-stomach, make-no-mistake underlining of the point. He batters the ball into the far top corner from a good 25 yards out, maybe more, to put Turkey back in front and send this stadium wild.

70’ GEORGIA HIT THE BAR! So close to an equaliser! Kochorashvili does brilliantly to nip around a defender into space in the box, but his finish clips the top of the crossbar with only the keeper to beat.

95’ GEORGIA HIT THE POST! Incredible scenes at the death as a deep free-kick is floated into a busy box and comes all the way through to smack the far post! Turkey manage to rush it clear but Georgia are pushing hard.

97’ GOAL! TURKEY 3-1 GEORGIA (AKTURKOGLU): The night is Turkey’s! With all 11 Georgia players in the box looking for a dramatic late leveller from a corner, Turkey win the ball and strike on the break, leaving substitute Akturkoglu with the simplest of tasks to run it upfield and pass into an empty net.