Day 19 of Euro 2024 brought an end to the round of 16, with all eight teams for the quarter-final stage now known. The Netherlands put in a dominant performance as the Dutch beat Romania 3-0, ahead of Austria’s meeting against Turkey in the final match of the stage.
The evening game was one of the best of the round, as Vincenzo Montella’s side pulled off a huge shock to make it into the last eight of the competition. They were deeply indebted to their goalkeeper, Mert Gunok, who made a stunning last-minute save to secure the 2-1 victory for the Crescent Stars.
But amidst all the action, there were plenty of things that you might have missed from what was another thrilling day of European Championship action. Here are four of the best incidents from the two games today which flew under the radar.
Daniel Sturridge Hails Cody Gakpo
Although he might not have set the Premier League alight during his first full year as a Liverpool player, Cody Gakpo has always been a menace whenever he has lined up for the Netherlands on the international stage. And the winger was at his best yet again against Romania, getting a goal and an assist in a Man of the Match performance.
One man who was especially impressed with Gakpo was former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, who took to X to praise the Netherlands forward and question why Reds fans hadn’t seen the best of him at Anfield just yet. If the 25-year-old can return to Merseyside in a similar vein of form for the 2024/25 campaign, then Arne Slot could have a real gem on his hands.
Romania Goalkeeper Multitasking Before Donyell Malen’s Goal
Had to deal with an obstacle just before the Netherlands’ third
It wasn’t just Gakpo who was on fire, though, as the entire Netherlands squad put in a superb display against Romania. Every man did exactly what was required to progress to the quarter-finals, with Gakpo’s goal and a brace from Donyell Malen securing an important win.
Malen’s second effort caught the eye, though, as Romania shot-stopper Florin Nita had to deal with a rogue obstacle as the winger broke forward at pace. A pair of trainers had made their way onto the turf, and the goalkeeper was forced to hastily kick one away while scampering backwards, all while Malen bared down on goal. Sure, his multitasking didn’t matter in the end, but there would have been a huge amount of controversy if a nasty deflection took it in.
Turkey Make History Against Austria
Merih Demiral scores inside 57 seconds
Having finished top of Group D, which included both France and the Netherlands, expectations were high for Austria in the knockout stages. But Ralf Rangnick’s side made the worst possible start against Turkey, with them failing to clear their lines from a corner, which allowed Merih Demiral to sweep the ball home.
What was so incredible, though, was that the goal broke the record for the fastest goal in the knockout stages at 57 seconds. In the competition’s history, only Nedim Bajrami’s goal for Albania against Italy, which occurred in the group stage of the same tournament, was scored in less time. What a moment for the Crescent-Stars.
Adra Guler Goes Viral for Winding Up Austria Fans
Real Madrid youngster starred in the last 16
While Gunok’s save will get all the plaudits and rightfully so, special praise should be reserved for Arda Guler’s performance against Austria. Despite his tender age, the Real Madrid star was at the heart of everything Turkey did on the night, running tirelessly and providing plenty of moments of magic.
One thing that caught the eye, though, was a little moment after he conjured up the assist for Demiral’s second of the night. Austria fans had been taunting him and throwing cups in his direction as he placed the ball down for a corner, but Guler didn’t let it phase him. He proceeded to whip in a perfect cross for the defender to meet and then turned to face the opposition fans, putting his finger to his head to rub salt into the wounds. Absolutely savage.