Turkey vs Georgia LIVE: Euro 2024 result and reaction after Arda Guler wonder goal
Turkey 3-1 Georgia: Fans clashed in Dortmund after heavy rain saw leaks at the Westfalenstadion leaving supporters drenched, before the game of the tournament unfolded on the pitch
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Teenager Arder Guler’s superb long-range strike helped Turkey to a victorious start to their Euro 2024 campaign with a 3-1 win over tournament debutants Georgia amid a fevered atmosphere in Dortmund.
Mert Muldur gave Turkey a deserved lead in the 25th minute, smashing a swerving volley past helpless Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from the edge of the box. Georgia, playing their first major international tournament, equalised in the 32nd minute when Georges Mikautadze turned Giorgi Kochorashvili’s cross past Mert Gunok, who should have done better in covering his near post.
The 19-year-old Guler, coming into the tournament fresh from a run of goals for Real Madrid, scored after 65 minutes, curling an unstoppable shot into the top corner. Georgia pressed for a late equaliser but, with Mamardashvili coming up for a series of corners, Kerem Akturkoglu broke away and passed into an empty net in added time to make it 3-1.
Follow all the reaction below, which continues with updates from Portugal vs Czechia in Group F
Euro 2024: Turkey 0-0 Georgia
6 mins
Georgia’s first foray forward is led by Kvaratskhelia, to a chorus of boos from Turkey fans. The atmosphere is still raucous, but it seems that the earlier clashes have cleared up.
Turkey win a corner and Calhanoglu whips it in, but Ayhan heads over.
Euro 2024: Turkey 0-0 Georgia
3 mins
Plenty of boos whenever Georgia get the ball. The ‘Red Wall’ is deafening in the Westfalenstadion, with a flare visible in the Turkey end.
Arda Guler delivers the cross from the right, but it’s over the head of Kokcu.
Euro 2024: Turkey 0-0 Georgia
2 mins
Turkey knock it around for a couple of minutes in the opening stages before trying the long ball over the top, which runs to Mamardashvili.
KICK-OFF! Turkey 0-0 Georgia
KICK-OFF!
Georgia get us underway in a historic footballing moment for their nation.
Georgia form guide
Georgia had to beat Greece on penalties in the playoffs in order to qualify for their first ever major tournament.
They originally finished fourth in their qualifying group behind Spain, Scotland and Norway, winning two, drawing two and losing four of their matches. They qualified for the playoffs via the Nations League pathway.
In their final two qualification games, they managed to draw 2-2 with Scotland before losing 3-1 to Spain.
Nevertheless, they managed to qualify after beating Luxembourg 2-0 in the first qualifier before dispatching Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
In their only pre-tournament warm-up match, they beat Montenegro 3-1 in Podgorica.
Turkey form guide and stats
Turkey have never won the opening game in any of their previous five European Championship campaigns, and they lost all of their group games at Euro 2020, finishing bottom of the group.
Nevertheless, they finished top of a potentially difficult qualifying group, ending the campaign one point above Croatia having won five, drawn two and lost one of their eight games.
They’ve had very mixed form in their last five matches though, losing 1-0 to Hungary and 6-1 to Austria in March friendlies, a few months after drawing 1-1 to Wales in their final qualifying game.
In their warm-up matches, Vincenzo Montella’s side drew 0-0 with Italy before falling to a 2-1 loss to Poland on 10 June.
Turkey vs Georgia LIVE: Fan violence and severe weather make for hostile atmosphere
Inside BVB Stadion after a hell of a time trying to navigate the elements, and it is remarkable how this ground contains noise. There’s almost something overwhelming about it.
Some neutrals might have identified this group game as the one they were the least fussed about, but the atmosphere is already something else.
There has been fighting in the stands, biblical rain, and now intense noise. The violence and weather have made for a tension here, too.
When the noise rises, it feels like things are on a knife edge. This should be very interesting.
Turkey and Georgia fans fight in stands in violent scenes before Euro 2024 match
Fans of Georgia and Turkey brawled inside the BVB Stadion Dortmund an hour before kick-off in the two countries’ opening Euro 2024 match.
Video footage circulated on social media showed groups of opposing supporters clash in one corner of the stadium, with punches thrown and missiles launched before police intervened to quell the violent scenes.
The fighting came amid torrential rain in Dortmund on Tuesday which caused the stadium’s roof to leak waterfalls of rain on to fans below.
Turkey and Georgia fans fight in stands in violent scenes before Euro 2024 match
Fans clashed as waterfalls of rain descended from Dortmund’s breached roof ahead of the Euro 2024 game
Euro 2024: Turkey vs Georgia
Two Scottish fans, a man and his 75-year-old father, have had an umbrella confiscated outside BVB Stadion because the tip was too long - and deemed dangerous.
— Alex Pattle (@alex_pattle) June 18, 2024
The weather here is torrential and, potentially, dangerous itself. Farcical. #EURO2024 #TURGEO
Euro 2024 stadium roof leaks as downpour soaks Dortmund before Turkey v Georgia
Fans have been left drenched in Dortmund after heavy rain caused water to pour through the roof of the stadium ahead of Turkey’sEuro 2024 clash with Georgia.
Parts of Germany have been hit by inclement weather on Tuesday, with fan parks at the tournament forced to close in stormy conditions.
Severe weather warnings are in place across the host nation, while the level of precipitation was too much for the BVB Stadium to handle.
Euro 2024 stadium roof leaks as downpour soaks Dortmund before Turkey v Georgia
Inclement weather has led to a miserable experience for plenty of supporters at the Group F fixture
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