July 3rd 2024.
Austria's journey in Euro 2024 has come to an end, as they were knocked out by Turkey in a thrilling match on Tuesday night. Manager Ralf Rangnick seemed to take a subtle dig at England in his post-match conference, after Turkey secured a spot in the quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory. This match also saw the fastest knockout goal in Euros history, adding to the excitement of the tournament.
Austria had emerged as dark horses in the tournament, having impressively topped a group that included strong teams like France, the Netherlands, and Poland. Rangnick's efforts as their manager have been widely praised, with only Germany and Spain scoring more goals than Austria's seven in the first four rounds. In fact, they have scored as many goals as two early favorites, England and France, combined. Rangnick was quick to point this out, stating that their four games, including the one against Turkey, were highly entertaining and intense.
He also mentioned that not all teams have been able to deliver such thrilling games, with some being difficult to even stay awake for. Rangnick believes that if Austria continues to play the way they have in this tournament, they have a good chance of qualifying for the upcoming World Cup. Their focus now shifts to the Nations League and then the World Cup qualification, where they hope to carry their momentum from Euro 2024.
Rangnick's statement could also be seen as a subtle jab at England and France, who have played out some dull matches in the Euros. France has yet to see one of their own players score from open play, while Portugal has also struggled to find the back of the net in their recent games against weaker opponents. Rangnick expressed his disappointment at not having the necessary luck in their match against Turkey. He believes that if the game had gone into extra time, Austria would have had a chance to win as Turkey appeared exhausted in the end. However, Austria's failure to score enough goals and defend set pieces well ultimately led to their defeat.
Despite coming close to equalizing in the dying seconds of the match, Austria's efforts were in vain as Turkey held on for the win. Rangnick acknowledged that they had enough time to achieve a draw, but Turkey's goalkeeper Mert Gunok's outstanding save denied them. Rangnick humorously referenced legendary goalkeeper Gordon Banks, stating that it felt like they had him in goal against them. In the end, Austria's journey in Euro 2024 may have come to an end, but they can take pride in their impressive performance and look forward to the upcoming tournaments with optimism.
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