Netherlands 2-1 Turkey: Oranje earn comeback win & reach semis to face England

The Netherlands came from behind to battle into the Euro 2024 semi-finals with a 2-1 victory over Turkiye as Mert Muldur's own goal proved the difference in Berlin.

Match Report

Samet Akaydin headed home after 35 minutes at the Olympiastadion, while Arda Guler was denied by the woodwork as Turkiye threatened to cause an upset.

Yet Ronald Koeman's Oranje stood firm, levelling through a thumping Stefan de Vrij header before Muldur – under pressure from Cody Gakpo – turned into his own net after 76 minutes.

Despite a spirited effort, Vincenzo Montella's side were unable to respond at the death as the Netherlands booked a last-four meeting with England in Dortmund for Wednesday.

A tentative opening was devoid of gilt-edged opportunities, though still free flowing with half-chances at either end. Gakpo and Memphis Depay combined well before the latter blazed over with barely two minutes on the clock, while Salih Ozcan hammered adrift of the target from range shortly after.

Yet another Turkiye set-piece situation told 10 minutes before the interval, as was the case with Merih Demiral's double against Austria in the last 16.

Guler was afforded too much space to curl in after a Dutch clearance, delivering perfectly onto the head of Akaydin, who could not miss from the back post for his first Turkiye goal.

The Netherlands managed just four shots in a drab first half, their fewest in the opening 45 minutes of a Euros match since the 2004 semi-finals against Portugal (also four), and Koeman responded by sending on Wout Weghorst.

However, it was Turkiye who almost extended their lead on two occasions after the break. Guler was felled by the covering Nathan Ake and the Real Madrid teenager stepped up to the resulting free-kick, clipping Bart Verbruggen's right-hand post with a fizzing low effort.

Kenan Yildiz then launched another skimming attempt through a sea of Oranje shirts, with Verbruggen unconvincingly parrying away before Weghorst cleared in front of an incoming Kaay Ayhan.

The Netherlands took advantage of that escape five minutes later when Depay worked a short corner towards the centre, where De Vrij nodded downwards past the helpless Mert Gunok.

Dutch joy turned to further elation only six minutes later as Denzel Dumfries slotted an inviting cross towards the back post, where Muldur inadvertently scuffed past Gunok with Gakpo charging in from behind.

Substitute Zeki Celik had a late chance to level but saw his back-post drive cleared off the line, while Verbruggen delivered a remarkable stop to thwart Semih Kilicsoy. Amid another chaotic finale, Turkiye's unused substitute Bertug Yildirim was sent off for a furious reaction towards the referee as the Netherlands scraped into the semi-finals.

Rare own-goal joy for the Dutch

Muldur's error was the first own goal the Netherlands had benefitted from at the European Championships since Portugal's Jorge Andrade put through his own net in 2004.

That unlikely route to their winner snatched a sixth quarter-final progression at major tournaments (World Cup/Euros) in eight attempts for the Oranje.

Yet Koeman's initial savour was an unexpected one as De Vrij equalised with his first goal for Netherlands since March 2015, nine years and 97 days ago against Spain.

This victory also saw the Netherlands progress from just a fourth knockout-stage tie in their last 10 attempts at the European Championships, with England awaiting in the last four.

Semi-final wait goes on for set-piece kings

Turkiye have scored three goals from corners at Euro 2024, the joint-most on record for a team in a single edition – level with Spain in 2020, France in 2016 and Portugal in 2004 – since records began in 1980.

That success from set-piece situations has been integral to the efforts of Montella's side, yet it was not enough to secure their first semi-final appearance at a major tournament since Euro 2008.

Turkiye will still hold their heads high, having impressed as the surprise package of this tournament.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

1' Depay and Gakpo play a one-two, Depay shoots over from near the edge of the box

6' Cody Gakpo spins and drags a shot wide

9' Simons kicks Calhanoglu's leg after he had just nicked the ball off him

11' Salih Ozcan shoots over from outside the box for Turkey

11' Match Event for Netherlands vs Turkey

12' Simons struggles to curl his shot, causing it to fly well wide

14' Highlight from Netherlands vs Turkey

22' Match Event for Netherlands vs Turkey

26' Baris Alper Yilmaz wins a corner off Virgil van Dijk but his pass is blocked

29' Highlight from Netherlands vs Turkey

30' Yellow Card! Xavi Simons booked

33' Match Event for Netherlands vs Turkey

34' Highlight from Netherlands vs Turkey

35' Akaydin nets to put Turkey in front from Guler's assist! Netherlands 0-1 Turkey

42' Match Event for Netherlands vs Turkey

42' Steven Bergwijn shoots over from outside the box for the Netherlands

46' Netherlands bring on super sub Weghorst for first-half ghost Steven Bergwijn

50' Highlight from Netherlands vs Turkey

51' Weghorst heads a ball to Depay but he can't slide it into the empty net

54' Highlight from Netherlands vs Turkey

54' Yellow Card! Ake booked

56' Arda Guler bends an outrageous free-kick and it hits the WOODWORK!

57' Memphis Depay's low 25-yard strike is scooped up by Mert Gunok

58' Reijnders gets a kick to the head and gets treatment

64' Yellow Card! Van Dijk booked

66' Bart Verbruggen parries Kenan Yildiz's log-range shot back into the danger zone

70' De Vrij powers a header past Gunok to restore parity! Netherlands 1-1 Turkey

73' Joey Veerman and Micky van de Ven replace Nathan Ake and Tijjani Reijnders

76' Muldur's own goal! Netherlands have turned it around! Netherlands 2-1 Turkey

78' Turkey bring on Akturkoglu and Okay Yokuslu for Kenan Yildiz and Salih Ozcan

79' Highlight from Netherlands vs Turkey

82' Match Event for Netherlands vs Turkey

Line-ups

Netherlands XI: De Vrij, Depay, Ake, Van Dijk, Bergwijn, Dumfries, Cody Gakpo, Schouten, Tijjani Reijnders, Bart Verbruggen, Xavi Simons

Subs: Wijnaldum, Blind, Mark Flekken, Weghorst, Justin Bijlow, De Ligt, Joey Veerman, Lutsharel Geertruida, Donyell Malen, Gravenberch, Joshua Zirkzee, Brian Brobbey, Jeremie Frimpong, Micky van de Ven

Turkey XI: Mert Günok, Calhanoglu, Kaan Ayhan, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Samet Akaydin, Özcan, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Mert Müldür, Arda Güler, Kenan Yıldız

Subs: Tosun, Yokuslu, İrfan Can Kahveci, Zeki Çelik, Uğurcan Çakır, Altay Bayındır, Yusuf Yazıcı, Akgun, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Bertuğ Yıldırım, Ahmetcan Kaplan, Semih Kılıçsoy