Euro 2024: Netherlands And Turkey Triumph To Reach Quarter-Finals

The Euro 2024 last-16 round wrapped up on Tuesday, with the Netherlands and Turkey securing their spots in the quarter-finals. The Netherlands delivered a commanding 3-0 victory over Romania, marking their best European Championship knockout performance since 2004. Key players Cody Gakpo, Donyell Malen, and Xavi Simons were instrumental in this win.

Cody Gakpo, who had already impressed at the 2022 World Cup, added another goal to his record. He became one of only three Dutch players to score three or more goals in two different major tournaments. Donyell Malen made history by becoming the first substitute to score twice in a Euros match since 2000. Xavi Simons also played a crucial role, becoming the youngest player to provide assists in consecutive Euro appearances since 2008.

This victory marked the Dutch's first knockout stage win in the Euros, excluding shoot-out victories, since they defeated Yugoslavia in 2000. The comprehensive win allowed them to reach the quarter-finals in consecutive major tournaments for the first time since 2008 and 2010.

Turkey triumphed over Austria with a 2-1 win, thanks to Merih Demiral's record-breaking double. Demiral scored the fastest goal in Euros knockout history, taking just 57 seconds to find the net. He added another goal in the second half, making him the first defender to score twice in a knockout-stage game since France's Lilian Thuram in 1998.

Austria briefly revived their hopes with Michael Gregoritsch's goal but ultimately fell short. Despite generating the most expected goals (2.7) for a team that failed to progress from a Euros knockout stage since France in 2020, Austria could not overturn the deficit.

Romania and Austria's Struggles

Romania's poor Euro record continued with only two wins from 20 matches, giving them the lowest win ratio (10%) among nations with ten or more games in the competition. Austria faced consecutive last-16 exits despite their efforts.

Turkey's victory was marked by set-piece goals and an impressive save from goalkeeper Mert Gunok at the end of the match. They set up a quarter-final clash with the Netherlands, with the winner likely facing England in the semi-finals.

The results underscore Euro 2024's thrilling and unpredictable nature. Both Dutch and Turkish teams showcased commendable performances in their respective last-16 fixtures. Romania and Austria are left to reflect on missed opportunities as their campaigns end amid hopes for improvement in future tournaments.