Ralf Rangnick likened Mert Gunok’s stunning last-gasp save which denied Austria a place in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals to that of Gordon Banks in 1970.
Turkey were 2-1 winners in an absorbing last-16 clash in Leipzig which saw Merih Demiral score both side’s goals.
Austria pulled one back through Michael Gregoritsch and thought they sent the game to extra-time in the fifth minute of stoppage time from Christoph Baumgartner’s goal-bound header.
But Besiktas stopper Gunok stole that dream away as he brilliantly pushed away the header after it had bounced on the turf – immediately drawing comparisons with Banks’ famous save for England against Brazil at the 1970 World Cup.
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
Crestfallen Austria bos Rangnick said: “We had time to score an equaliser, but it’s difficult when they have Gordon Banks in goal!
“We didn’t have the necessary luck and I believe if the game had gone to extra time we would have won.”
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Rangnick: ‘I can’t believe we are going home’
Austria were billed as a side to go deep in the competition after an eye-catching group-stage campaign but, despite creating a host of chances, were sent packing duo to Demiral and Gunok’s heroics.
Rangnick added: “I cannot believe we are going home today, we thought we were going to continue our journey.”
“The four games we played were very entertaining, including today.
“Not everything went very accurately, but they were four very entertaining and intense games.
“Now we need to take this with us into the Nations League and then into World Cup qualifying.”
