On a dramatic evening in Slovakia, England Below-21s emerged victorious over Germany Below-21s to grow to be European champions once more.
England got here out of the blocks in a flurry and had been rewarded simply 5 minutes in when Harvey Elliott opened the scoring. After a slick transfer that began with a free kick gained by Alex Scott, Omari Hutchinson’s shot was parried by German goalkeeper Noah Atubolu, however Elliott was available to complete into the underside proper nook.
The Younger Lions doubled their benefit within the twenty fourth minute. Omari Hutchinson turned goalscorer after a high quality help from James McAtee, smashing a left-footed effort from the centre of the field into the center of the objective to make it 2-0.
Germany responded simply earlier than the breakthrough Nelson Weiper, who headed residence from shut vary after a well-worked nook routine involving Paul Nebel.
The German stress continued into the second half, they usually discovered an equaliser on the hour mark. Nebel, concerned within the first objective, turned scorer this time, rifling a shot into the highest proper nook.
From there, the sport ebbed and flowed, with either side creating probabilities. James McAtee got here shut for England, whereas Germany’s Ansgar Knauff and Rocco Reitz fired simply vast.
2025 #U21EURO Champions! 🏴🏆 pic.twitter.com/greApo11S1
— England (@England) June 28, 2025
Accidents started to pile up too, with each Alex Scott and Harvey Elliott pressured off for England, whereas Nathaniel Brown had to get replaced for Germany.
With the match locked at 2-2 on the finish of regulation, it headed into additional time. Simply moments after the restart, substitute Jonathan Rowe offered the breakthrough.
Within the 92nd minute, he met Tyler Morton’s sensible cross, directing a header into the underside nook to revive England’s lead.
The depth by no means dipped, and Germany pushed laborious for a leveller. Reitz got here agonisingly shut on two events – first firing excessive and vast simply earlier than the half-time break in additional time, and once more minutes later with a left-footed strike from the appropriate of the field that missed narrowly.
Because the clock ticked down, Merlin Rohl had two golden alternatives to equalise. First, within the a hundred and twentieth minute, his left-footed drive from outdoors the field was blocked bravely by the England defence.
Then in stoppage time, he struck the bar with a thunderous right-footed effort, agonisingly near forcing penalties.
Regardless of a nervy last few moments, England held on.
The match was a showcase of youth soccer at its most thrilling – 5 targets, end-to-end motion, and excessive drama in additional time. England’s character to win consecutive tournaments is a testomony to each Lee Carsley and his squad.
