LEIPZIG, Germany (AP) — A moment of Mert Gunok brilliance sparked celebrations for Turkish fans and a big exclamation from Austria rival Michael Gregoritsch, who described it as one of the best saves he’d ever seen.
Goalkeeper Gunok pulled off one of the saves of the European Championship deep into injury time on Tuesday to secure Turkey’s place in the quarterfinals.
He leaped instinctively into a full-stretch dive to his right to palm away a close-range header from Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner four minutes into stoppage time, preserving his team’s 2-1 win and preventing the round-of-16 match from going into extra time.
“I think that’s one of the best saves I’ve ever seen live on the field,” Gregoritsch said. “You have to give credit to the Turkish goalkeeper because I think it was extremely difficult to stop. Unbelievable, really.”
Austria coach Ralf Rangnick was asked if the goal reminded him of England goalkeeper Gordon Banks’ famous stop to deny Pelé at the 1970 World Cup.
“True,” he replied.
Later, Rangnick rued the save, saying he was sure that if the ball had gone in, Austria would have gone on to win the match.
“With Gordon Banks in goal, that was the last chance that we had,” the German coach said.
It was Gunok’s fourth big save of the game, including a one-on-one situation against Marko Arnautovic.
It meant Merih Demiral’s two goals were enough to send Turkey through to a quarterfinal against the Netherlands in Berlin’s Olympiastadion on Saturday.
AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024
Turkey's goalkeeper Mert Gunok saves the ball during a round of sixteen match between Austria and Turkey at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Leipzig, Germany, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Turkey's goalkeeper Mert Gunok saves the ball during a round of sixteen match between Austria and Turkey at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Leipzig, Germany, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Austria's Christoph Baumgartner, right, reacts following a save by Turkey's goalkeeper Mert Gunok, left, during a round of sixteen match at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Leipzig, Germany, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. . (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A man who stabbed South Korea’s opposition leader in the neck earlier this year was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday, court officials said.
The knife-wielding man attacked Lee Jae-myung, head of the liberal Democratic Party, South Korea’s biggest political party, in January after approaching him asking for his autograph at an event in the southeastern city of Busan. After being detained by police, he told investigators that he wanted to kill Lee to prevent him from becoming South Korea’s president.
The Busan District Court said the man was handed the 15-year prison term after being found guilty for an attempted murder and a violation of an election law.
The court said that both the man and prosecutors have one week to appeal.
The attack happened ahead of the country’s crucial parliamentary elections in April, which ended with Lee’s Democratic Party and other opposition parties winning a massive victory against President Yoon Suk Yeol’s conservative governing party.
A court verdict called the attack “a grave challenge” to the country’s election systems and an act that “significantly destroys social consensus and confidence on the basic liberal democratic principles," according to Yonhap news agency. It cited the verdict as saying the attacker had long loathed Lee because of differences of political opinions, practiced stabbing his neck in advance and followed him on five public events.
The court's public affairs office couldn't immediately confirm details of Friday's verdict. The court didn't disclose the man's identity. Police earlier said he's about 67.
Democratic Party officials earlier confirmed the attacker became a member last year. The ruling People Power Party said he is currently not their member but media reports said the man, only identified as his surname Kim, was previously affiliated with the party’s predecessor.
Lee, a sharp-tongued former provincial governor, lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon, a former top prosecutor, by the narrowest margin recorded in a South Korean presidential election.
Their closely fought race and post-election political bickering have intensified South Korea’s already-toxic conservative-liberal divide. Surveys have showed that Lee is one of the early favorites for the 2027 presidential election. Yoon is by law barred from seeking reelection.
FILE - Then South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung on a stretcher arrives at a heliport in Seoul, South Korea, on Jan. 2, 2024. A man who stabbed Lee in the neck earlier this year was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday, July 5, 2024, court officials said. (Im Hwa-young/Yonhap via AP, File)
FILE - Then South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung leaves a hospital in Seoul, South Korea, on Jan. 10, 2024. A man who stabbed Lee in the neck earlier this year was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday, July 5, 2024, court officials said. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)
