Turkey dramatically sealed its spot in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals thanks to an inspiring 2-1 win over Austria Tuesday night in Leipzig.

The unlikely heroes for the Turks turned out to be towering defender Merih Demiral, who scored a sensational brace. He opened the scoring with a dream start for Turkey, netting in the match’s first minute. He doubled their lead just before the hour mark with another well-taken goal, which sent fans from the travelling Turkish contingent into raptures.

It would be a challenging win for Austria. In the 66th minute, midfielder Michael Gregoritsch drew one back for the hosts, showing that heart was not all lost. But the Turks stood firm; their defence remained tight against the late Austrian onslaught, and the whistle went to end the game. Pandemonium broke out among the Turkish players and fans.

The win provides a mouth-watering quarterfinal clash with the Netherlands, who trounced Romania 3-0. Defying all odds, Turkey will challenge for a fairy tale continuation in the Euros, brimming with confidence.