Sunday, April 3, 2016
Austria vs. Turkey (International Friendly March 29, 2016)
Austria vs. Turkey (International Friendly March 29, 2016)
With EURO 2016 looming closer, international friendlies against the top sides are a precursor to the excitement we hope to witness on the big stage. A team I will be supporting throughout the upcoming competition is Turkey. The Crescent-Stars had a rocky qualifying campaign, but their desire to fight until the end is a testament to their potential. Here I will highlight the key features of Turkey's friendly match vs. Austria. What stood out to me the most was how Turkey created a game plan to counteract Austria's intensity. Although Austria started off strong giving Turkey defensive issues, the latter used their attacking talent to turn the result in their favor.
With EURO 2016 looming closer, international friendlies against the top sides are a precursor to the excitement we hope to witness on the big stage. A team I will be supporting throughout the upcoming competition is Turkey. The Crescent-Stars had a rocky qualifying campaign, but their desire to fight until the end is a testament to their potential. Here I will highlight the key features of Turkey's friendly match vs. Austria. What stood out to me the most was how Turkey created a game plan to counteract Austria's intensity. Although Austria started off strong giving Turkey defensive issues, the latter used their attacking talent to turn the result in their favor.
Exhibit 1: The eyes of Turkey's defense on ball carrier Rubin Okotie skews defending since the gap in the middle is not secured. The space in front is vulnerable, especially if used to attack the corner post.
Exhibit 2: A key trait of Austria was marking and immediately applying pressure whenever Turkey gained possession. Turkey had to be patient in order to find space and exploit it through quick dribbling before releasing the ball.
Exhibit 3: Austria press in order to delay Turkey's attack and efficiently win the ball back in Turkey's half. Even if Ahmet Yılmaz Çalık ventures forward past the two Austrian players, they have back-up support to continue this press. To overcome this intense pressure, Turkey either constructed quicker passes or played the ball overhead.
Exhibit 4: Here is another instance of Turkey overcoming Austria's press. Their strategy was to position themselves in between the lines and use quick movements in the final third while Austria's defensive shape was in mid-transition. In this case, after Caner receives the pass, he can play the ball to Cenk or Hakan when Austria aren't actively pressing.
Written by: Goral Patel
