In an electric Euro 2024 opener in Dortmund, Turkiye narrowly escaped a robust late-game onslaught from Georgia, securing a victory that kick-started their campaign.
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Under the vibrant lights of Westfalenstadion, Turkiye’s young sensation Arda Guler dazzled, netting a jaw-dropping strike from the edge of the box to push his team ahead in the second half. This goal not only put Turkiye 2-1 up but also carved his name as the youngest scorer in his debut Euros game, with Kerem Akturkoglu later sealing the deal amidst relentless Georgian pressure.
Prior to the match, supporters of both squads engaged in heated exchanges, exacerbated by the downpour that threatened to delay Georgia’s inaugural appearance in an international tourney.
Turkiye’s opening salvo came in the 25th minute through a spectacular volley by Mert Muldur, his second ever for the national team, sending the Turkish fans into ecstasy. The jubilation peaked again shortly after, only for Kenan Yildiz’s strike to be annulled for offsides, thanks to VAR’s intervention.
Georgia responded with a historic notch by Georges Mikautadze, who delicately angled the ball past Mert Gunok.
However, Guler’s rocket to the top-left corner later restored Turkiye’s lead, eclipsing a record previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo since 2004.
Georgia, desperate to level the scores, saw Giorgi Kochorashvili clank the crossbar and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia hit the post, with Samet Akaydin making a pivotal save on the line.
The drama climaxed as Georgia’s keeper ventured forward for a last-ditch corner, only for Turkiye to break away and Akturkoglu to score into an abandoned net, climaxing a nail-biting Group F showdown.
Data Debrief: Guler’s standout performance illuminates Turkiye and Georgia’s showdown at Euro 2024.
The fixture, buzzing with 36 attempts on goal and accumulating a shared 4.3 expected goals (xG), highlighted Guler’s strike as a historical moment—making him the youngest Turk to score at a major tournament at 19 years and 114 days.
Remarkably, Turkiye fielded two teens in their starting lineup—Guler and Yildiz, replicating a feat last seen from Hungary in 1964.
On the Georgian side, Mikautadze’s goal marked a national milestone as their first in a major tournament, continuing his streak of six goals in six starts for his nation.
