Austria‘s coach Ralf Rangnick expressed shock on Tuesday over his aspect’s Euro 2024 exit by the hands of Turkey, ruing their failure to transform strain into probabilities and a spectacular last-gasp save that stopped the sport going to further time.
Rangnick stated his workforce had performed 4 entertaining, intense matches and have been worthy of a quarterfinal berth however paid the value for poor defending that noticed them go behind after 57 seconds to a buoyant Turkish aspect.
Merih Demiral pounced on a bungled Austrian effort to clear a nook and he doubled Turkey’s lead simply earlier than the hour mark earlier than Michael Gregoritsch pulled one again seven minutes later.
Austria flicked the change however struggled to create substantive probabilities till a potent stoppage-time header from Christoph Baumgartner bounced off the turf and was saved spectacularly by goalkeeper Mert Gunok.
“In the event you’re behind with two targets, then issues are no simpler. The workforce tried every part. We then scored one purpose and we had sufficient time to realize a draw,” Rangnick informed a information convention.
“It is troublesome in case you have Gordon Banks in purpose,” he stated, likening Gunok’s save to that famously pulled off by the late England goalkeeper from a header from Brazil‘s Pele within the 1970 World Cup.
Austria’s elimination extends to seven many years their unfathomable failure to win a match within the knockout rounds of a significant event.
“You additionally want a little bit of luck. If Baumgartner’s header on the finish would have gone in, we might have gained this sport,” Rangnick stated.
“This was a historic probability to win, to go to the quarterfinal and play towards the Netherlands. I can’t imagine that we’re going house at this time. We thought that we’d proceed our journey right here,” he stated.
Turkey supervisor Vincenzo Montella stated his workforce needed to dig deep to safe the win.
“Nobody gave up,” Montella stated. “Everybody gave a bit further by way of their soul, and for a head coach, you already know that there are matches comparable to these and you’ll solely win matches comparable to these if there’s a soul inside the squad.
“There’s that perception, that conviction. I might go on all evening, however I noticed all of these attributes, and that makes me very proud.”
Rangnick stated his workforce now needed to capitalise on their momentum and guarantee qualification for the World Cup, which might be for the primary time since 1998.
“We’re partly one for the time being, and that hasn’t occurred for years, that we’re partly one and we wish to keep there. And we now have an excellent probability to qualify for a World Cup after a few years,” he stated.
One participant who could not determine is striker Marko Arnautovic, who hinted Tuesday’s defeat could possibly be his final outing for the nationwide aspect.
“It’s totally bitter, it is insanity that we left the sport like this,” Arnautovic stated. “For us, it is over. The coach stated ‘chin up’.”
“It could possibly be that it is my final sport,” he added.