Netherlands v Turkey LIVE: Result, final score and reaction as Dutch set up England semi-final
Stefan de Vrij netted before Cody Gakpo forced an own goal, as the Dutch came from behind to win
Netherlands beat Turkey in a thrilling quarter-final at Euro 2024 on Saturday, setting up a semi-final with England next week.
Underdogs Turkey always looked dangerous on the break, but they took the lead through a set piece, with Samet Akaydin netting a header in the first half.
The Dutch looked in danger, but Ronald Koeman’s side hit back with 20 minutes left in normal time, as Stefan de Vrij scored his own header to draw his nation level. And then six minutes later, Cody Gakpo forced an own goal from Mert Muldur, catching the Turkish defender out with a back-post run.
That strike proved the difference in Berlin, as Netherlands booked their spot in the final four, where England await on Wednesday.
Re-live all action and follow the post-game fallout below, as Netherlands beat Turkey at Euro 2024.
Match stats
The last two matches between the Netherlands and Turkey have brought a total of 13 goals, after Turkey won 4-2 in March 2021 and the Netherlands won 6-1 in September 2021, during qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.
Then Netherlands have won five of their past seven major tournament quarter-finals, although one of the two exceptions was the most recent, against Argentina at the 2022 World Cup.
Turkey have reached the quarter-final of a major tournament for the fourth time, after Euro 2000, the 2002 World Cup, and Euro 2008. They reached the semi-final of the latter, eventually losing to Germany.
Across the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024, the only European player with more goals than the Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo (who has six) is Kylian Mbappe (with nine).
Flawed, emotional and nothing to lose - Netherlands v Turkey could be Euro 2024’s best game
With 11 goals either scored or conceded, Netherlands are bettered by only three teams at the tournament at the end of the last 16 for viewing entertainment: Hosts Germany with 12; then Austria, who have gone home, and Turkey, who sent them there, both with 13.
Appropriate, then, that while other quarter-final ties have had the focus on who will win, who will be favourites for overall success and who will get a misfiring forward back on track, the fourth and final tie of the last eight might simply be a shootout from the start, a free-for all with recent history on the line and enormous opportunity ahead.
Simply put, Turkey and Netherlands were not really expected to reach the semi-final stage, but one of them will do so - and will have arguably been the most watchable nation left in the tourmanent by the time they sew up their place.
That is in part because of the end result - goals - but also because the makeup of both sides and the position they were in prior to Euro 2024starting simply lend themselves to a chaotic style of play: they are not the most refined, not the most talented throughout and not even necessarily both at their strongest.
But they’ve found a way to this point.
Flawed and nothing to lose - Netherlands v Turkey could be Euro 2024’s best game
The Oranje and the Crescent Stars clash in what might be one of the tournament’s craziest meetings, if form so far is anything to go by
Turkey team news
Turkey have made three changes to the side that squeezed through 2-1 against Austria in the last round.
In defence, the suspended Demiral comes out for Akaydin, with Ayhan moving into midfield and Muldur coming back into a traditional back four.
Salih Özcan comes into midfielder in place of İsmail Yüksek, and he plays deep alongside Ayhan. Hakan Calhanoglu replaces Orkun Kokcu as the advanced midfield player, with the front three staying the same.
Netherlands team news
Ronaldo Koeman has gone with the same starting eleven that beat Romania 3-0 in the last-16.
Steven Bergwijn starts despite the impressive performance of Donyell Malen in the second half.
Schoeten and Reijnders anchor the midfield once again, with Xavi Simons in the central attacking role.
Line-ups
NETHERLANDS XI: Verbruggen; Dumfries, de Vrij, van Dijk, Ake; Schoeten, Reijnders; Bergwijn, Simons, Gakpo; Depay.
TURKEY XI: Gunok; Muldur, Akaydin, Bardakci, Kadioglu; Ayhan, Ozcan; Yilmaz, Calhanoglu, Yildiz; Guler.
Team news
We’re a few minutes away from the teams being announced.
Will the Netherlands still with the same players – and formation – that has seen them struggle at times but get to the quarter-finals?
You’e expect to see changes from Turkey, with Arda Guler likely to struggle in a central role up against van Dijk and de Vrij.
All will be revealed soon...
Team news
A reminder of the team news for both sides as we approach the announcement of the line-ups.
While captain Hakan Calhanoglu returns after a suspension, Turkey will be without Demirial because of his ban, and midfielders Orkun Kokcu and Ismail Yuksek are both suspended. Eight more Turkish players — including Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz — are in danger of missing the next match if booked. No Dutch players are suspended, while Denzel Dumfries, Joey Veerman, Jerdy Schouten and Donyell Malen will hope to avoid any yellow cards that rule them out of a potential semifinal. Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said on Friday he will need to make a late fitness call on defender Nathan Ake, who injured a knee in the win over Romania. “He did take part in the training. So we are waiting (to see) how he will feel tomorrow, whether he can play,” Koeman said.
Koeman may decide to revert his experiment of starting Steven Bergwijn and instead play Donyell Malen, who came on at half time.
Koeman wary of Turkey threat in quarter-final
Koeman warned, however, that Turkey would be a tougher proposition.
”This is a different opponent with different qualities. They have played with four at the back, but also with five. Just like the Romanians, they showed a lot of heart in how they play. But we are more worried about ourselves.
”We are playing in Berlin for a semi-final, a great opportunity to progress even further in the tournament. But we’re not just going to romp to a win, that certainly won’t be the case. It’s going to be a very difficult game,” he told Friday’s pre-match press conference.
Koeman said he felt Turkey would offer his side space to exploit. We’ve just got to be patient with the ball and keep possession,“ he said.
“The Turks are very enthusiastic and good on the ball. They have also seen us against Romania and will probably look to have our measure.”
Koeman said it had not been an easy tournament for the fancied sides. ”All the big teams have struggled at different times. England needed a late goal to survive, Portugal went through on penalties. You have to fight all the way.”
The Netherlands will give Steven Bergwijn a late fitness test as he struggles with a knee injury, but Koeman said key defender Nathan Ake was fit to play after battling with niggles over the last few days.
Ronald Koeman confident after beating Romania in style
Netherlands’ comprehensive win over Romania in their last match at the European Championship has given them a large dollop of confidence ahead of their quarter-final tie against Turkey on Saturday, coach Ronald Koeman said on the eve of the clash.
The Dutch enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 victory in their round of 16 game to show a major improvement after squeezing through the first phase in third position in their group.
”It shouldn’t be that we need a defeat to spark a good performance and come out of our shell,” said Koeman of the triumph over Romania, which followed a 3-2 loss to Austria.
”But we created a lot of chances and showed a lot of speed up front. It was good game even if the opponent gave us a lot of room.”
England v Switzerland
The winner of this match will play either England or Switzerland in the semi-finals, and you can follow live updates from one right here:
England v Switzerland LIVE: Southgate plots bold line-up for Euro 2024 quarter-final
The Three Lions have the chance to make their third tournament semi-final under Gareth Southgate, with tonight’s winner facing either Turkey or the Netherlands
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