Teenager Arda Güler‘s superb long-range strike helped Turkey to a winning start in their Euro 2024 campaign with a 3-1 result over tournament debutants Georgia amid a fevered atmosphere in Dortmund on Tuesday.
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 Güler, 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.
“I am just thrilled, no words to describe how I feel,” man-of-the-match Güler said after the game. “I was dreaming of this goal constantly. I am working extra hard to give back to the amazing love I’ve been receiving.
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“I’ve been practising this particular shot recently at the end of training sessions. I am so happy to have scored this way. [Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti] messaged me earlier today and wished me luck.”
Güler’s intervention was crucial and was the latest in a string of outside-of-the-area strikes at these Euros. It also was another demonstration of his talent that was on display when he scored five goals in five games to finish a Spanish league season that he mostly missed because of injury. He was an unused substitute in the Champions League final — won by Madrid.
He’ll likely find game time even harder to come by next season following the arrival of Kylian Mbappé and Endrick, even if Ancelotti is aware he has a gem on his hands in Guler.
Georgia, at No. 75 the lowest-ranked nation at Euro 2024, could easily have snatched a point from a game played at a frenetic pace.
In stoppage time and with their goalkeeper Mamardashvili upfield in search of a goal, Georgia whipped in a free kick that struck the post before a shot from the rebound was cleared off the line.
By Agencies.
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