Turkey goalkeeper Mert Gunok had fans in disbelief as he pulled off an incredible save in the dying seconds against Austria at Euro 2024.
Vincenzo Montella’s side led 2-1 heading into second-half stoppage time of Tuesday night’s thrilling final round-of-16 contest in Leipzig, thanks to a brace from defender Merih Demiral.
Half-time substitute Michael Gregoritsch had quickly halved the deficit from an Austrian set-piece and Christoph Baumgartner later thought he had forced extra time when he connected firmly with a hopeful lofted cross to the back post from Alexander Prass and looked to plant a header across the goalkeeper and into the far corner.
However, exactly as the four minutes of added time elapsed, Besiktas veteran Gunok, 35, flew to his right in a flash and somehow managed to scoop the ball wide - leaving Baumgartner and his Austria team-mates incredulous.
Austria came desperately close to equalising with seconds left on the clock but it was all too late 🫣#Euro2024 | #AUTTUR pic.twitter.com/WMB3jLPM0P
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 2, 2024
Such a sublime stop instantly drew parallels with the so-called ‘Save of the Century’, produced by late England legend Gordon Banks to deny the iconic Pele during a match against Brazil at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
“That was Gordon Banks-esque,” heralded ex-Arsenal stalwart Lee Dixon in his role as a pundit on ITV’s coverage of the absorbing match between Austria and Turkey.
While England of course went on to lose 1-0 against Brazil in Guadalajara 54 years ago, Gunok’s stop secured victory for Turkey and a place in their first major tournament quarter-final since Euro 2008.
They will now move on to face the Netherlands in Berlin on Saturday night after Ronald Koeman’s side brushed aside Romania 3-0 in Munich earlier on Tuesday evening.
The winners of that tie will then face the victors of England’s clash with Switzerland in Dusseldorf for a place in the final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion on July 14.
