IT was the greatest international save since Gordon Banks denied Pele 54 YEARS ago.
Gravity-defying brilliance by Mert Gunok to ensure Leipzig remained a suburb of Istanbul — with Austria boss Ralf Rangnick admitting: “It’s difficult when they have Gordon Banks in goal. It was a remarkable save.”
There were just seconds left, with Turkey hanging on for grim death. Austria floated the ball to the far post and it was met with power and downward precision by Christoph Baumgartner.
Every single person in the Red Bull Arena was waiting for the net to ripple.
Yet somehow, some way, as the ball bounced almost past him, 35-year-old Besiktas keeper Gunok flung out a huge hand to turn it behind — just like Banks at the 1970 World Cup.
On a night which looked set to be all about 19-year-old sensation Arda Guler — who had a hand in both goals for Merih Demiral — the name on the world’s lips ended up being Gunok.
Al-Ahli defender Demiral, 26 said: “Mert made a truly magnificent save, the best I have ever seen. After he put it behind me, I went up to Mert and asked him, ‘How did you save that?’
“We are so proud to be here for our country. The fans created an incredible atmosphere for us and we responded.
“We experienced incredible moments thanks to our supporters.
“I may have been named man of the match but this one is for the team, for every one of us.
“I am very happy and very proud. We have done something special.”
Demiral’s double ensured Turkey will now face Holland in Berlin on Saturday night, as Gunok’s inconceivable athleticism ensured Michael Gregoritsch’s close-range finish was only a consolation.
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Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella said: “It was a spectacular save and I’m happy for him, the team and the country, the group we have created here and what we produced on the pitch.
“Well done to Mert. That’s his job and we’re very happy he made a match-winning save in the final seconds.”
Hero Gunok added: “We still have a long way to go. If it’s God’s will we will go to the very end. We believe this.
“This win took us to the next level in terms of morale and confidence.
“I thank everyone who supported us, I thank our fans, people and citizens who continued to support us and prayed for us.”
While this was an evening in which Guler showed Jude Bellingham is not the only Real Madrid kid who we should be discussing, Gunok, even more than Demiral, was the real hero.
Gunok’s save was the fitting climax to a match that thrilled from the start.
In an atmosphere transferred from the Bosphorus, Turkey went in front after just 57 SECONDS.
Guler’s inswinging corner caused chaos, with Baumgartner smacking a clearance against team-mate Stefan Posch.
Keeper Patrick Pentz clawed the rebound off the line but Demiral thrashed into the roof of the net before running to the corner to leap up, then sinking to his knees in a mixture of delirium and disbelief.
Austria, though, were twice so close to a rapid leveller.
First Baumgartner was a fraction wide of the far upright from 20 yards as he shot back across goal.
Then more defensive befuddlement as Romano Schmid’s corner rolled along the goal line, eluding everybody, with Demiral somehow preventing Baumgartner from making amends.
It was frantic and fabulous fun with Austria controlling possession but always susceptible as the Turks broke in numbers.
Rangnick needed more from Marko Arnautovic, and his two interval changes saw Gregoritsch join the ex-Stoke and West Ham striker up top.
Suddenly, it was ALL Austria.
Gregoritsch had two close efforts within a couple of minutes before Arnautovic failed to squeeze the ball in.
Austria were now pouring forward, Konrad Laimer scuffing past the post.
But it was Turkey who struck just before the hour mark — Demiral rising once again, his touch only ever ending in the back of the Austrian net.
Austria looked dead and buried but when Marcel Sabitzer’s corner was flicked on by Posch for Gregoritsch to side-foot home they had life.
Turkey, stretched to near breaking point and dropping to the edge of their box, held on, Gunok breaking Austrian hearts with seconds left as he denied Baumgartner’s header with a truly stunning stop.
Ex-Manchester United boss Rangnick added: “I can’t believe we’re going home. We thought we would be getting ready for the next game.
“If the Baumgartner header had gone in we would have won this game.
“We didn’t have the luck we needed. I believe if the game had gone into extra time we would have won because they were exhausted and we had a physical advantage.
“But we should be proud. All our games were super intense because of the way we played.
“I’ve seen other games where it was difficult to stay awake and that was not the case with our matches.”
