Hold onto your orange jerseys, folks! 🧡 The Netherlands just pulled off an epic comeback against Türkiye, securing a 2-1 victory and booking their spot in the Euro 2024 semifinals! 🎉⚽
It was a rollercoaster of emotions at the stadium on Saturday. Türkiye took the lead in the 35th minute when Samet Akaydin headed in a beautiful cross from Arda Güler, sending Türkish fans into a frenzy. 🔥 The Dutch side found themselves trailing and in need of some serious magic.
Enter the second half and Dutch coach Ronald Koeman wasn't messing around. He brought on the towering Wout Weghorst (yep, the 1.97-meter giant 🦒) to shake things up. And boy, did it work!
\"He's always fighting up front, helping the team,\" said defender Stefan de Vrij about Weghorst. \"We started to keep the ball, create chances. Then we scored two goals and the whole team fought until the end.\"
De Vrij himself leveled the score in the 70th minute with a powerful header from a Memphis Depay cross. 🥅 The momentum shifted, and just six minutes later, a low cross from Denzel Dumfries caused chaos in Türkiye's defense, leading to an own goal by Mert Müldür. Talk about a plot twist! 😱
The Dutch fans erupted as their team held on to the lead, while Türkiye tried desperately to find an equalizer. But it wasn't meant to be. The Netherlands showcased grit and determination, proving they're a force to be reckoned with.
Up next, the Dutch face England in what promises to be a thrilling semifinal clash in Dortmund on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Spain will take on France in the other semifinal on Tuesday. Get your popcorn ready, football fans! 🍿
Türkiye, despite the loss, showcased heart and talent throughout the tournament. Playing without key defender Merih Demiral due to suspension, they put up a fierce fight. Respect! 👏
As De Vrij put it, \"It was really a battle today. The Türkish team has a big heart, a lot of quality. In the end, we did well and we deserved the win.\"
One thing's for sure: Euro 2024 is delivering all the drama, and we are here for it! 🙌⚽
Reference(s):
Netherlands come back to beat Türkiye to reach Euro 2024 semifinals
cgtn.com
