Arda Guler has enhanced his reputation as one of Europe's brightest young stars by curling home a brilliant second-half goal to help Turkey to a 3-1 win over tournament debutant Georgia at the European Championship.
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The 19-year-old forward brought a strong end to his first season at Real Madrid to the Euros by cutting in from the right and bending a fierce shot into the top corner in the 65th minute.
That put Turkey 2-1 ahead in a Group F match played in a febrile and intense atmosphere in Dortmund.
Substitute Kerem Akturkoglu scored a breakaway goal in the final seconds of stoppage time for Turkey's third.
This was a nation-stopping moment for Georgia, a South Caucasus country of 3.7 million people that is making its debut in an international soccer tournament since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, amid protests and political turmoil back home.
Georgia's players dealt well with an intimidating atmosphere created by Turkey's fans and responded to Mert Muldur's volleyed finish for the Turks in the 25th with an equaliser by Georges Mikautadze in the 32nd.
Georgia, at No. 75 the lowest-ranked nation at Euro 2024, could easily have snatched a point from a game played at a frenetic pace.
In stoppage time and with goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili upfield in search of a goal, Georgia whipped in a free kick that struck the post before a shot from the rebound was cleared off the line.
The resulting corner -- sent in with Mamardashvili still up in the box -- was cleared and Akturkoglu had the freedom of Westfalenstadion to run through unchallenged to sidefoot the ball into an empty net.
Earlier France Football Federation president Philippe Diallo said it was too early to say whether Kylian Mbappe would feature in the remainder of Euro 2024 after breaking his nose.
The forward was taken to hospital in Dusseldorf after colliding with opponent Kevin Danso's shoulder in the victory over Austria.
No immediate surgery was required and plans were being made for the 25-year-old to wear a protective mask but Diallo said France were still unsure of a timescale of recovery for Real Madrid's new signing.
Australian Associated Press
