Spain claim fourth crown
Friday 3 August 2007
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Spain celebrate their victory (©Sportsfile)
The sixth UEFA European Under-19 Championship ended in familiar fashion as Spain defeated Greece in Linz to lift the trophy for the fourth time in six seasons, becoming the first side to successfully defend the title in the process.
Spain on top
Greece and Spain seized the early initiative in Group A with wins against Portugal and Austria respectively. Those defeats left Austria and Portugal hovering on the brink of elimination and neither were able to get back into serious contention on Matchday 2, although both drew 1-1 to keep their hopes just about alive. Spain and Greece nevertheless met in Linz for their concluding fixture knowing a point would send both into the semi-finals and so it proved as the game finished goalless.
Germany through
In Group B France and Germany made winning starts – although neither had things entirely their own way. France fell 2-0 behind against Serbia but battled back to win 5-2 despite the first-half dismissal of Bakary Sako. Germany, meanwhile, defeated Russia 3-2. The two Matchday 1 victors faced off and drew 1-1 two days later, giving Serbia and Russia the opportunity to revive their hopes. Serbia duly seized their chance with an emphatic 6-2 win. Serbia therefore met Germany in Pasching knowing victory would seal their place in the last four, but it was Germany who prevailed 3-2. France sealed second place with a goalless draw against Russia.
‘Greek heart and soul’
The semi-finals were contrasting affairs, but no less dramatic for that as a last-minute goal and a penalty shoot-out were needed to separate well-matched teams. Germany took on Group A runners-up Greece in Steyr and took a 25th-minute lead through Anis Ben-Hatira, although Sotiris Ninis levelled 15 minutes later. Kostas Mitroglou's third goal of the finals two minutes before the hour gave Greece the lead, but the tie was still in the balance and following Vassilis Pliatsikas's dismissal Ben-Hatira drew Germany level. Greece looked in trouble, only for Andreas Lampropoulos to head the winner in the final minute. "We triumphed thanks to Greek heart and soul," Greece coach Nikoloas Nioplias said. "This is a big result for Greek football."
Sergio heroics
In the other semi-final Spain and France played out a goalless 120 minutes in Pasching with the holders losing Ángel Montoro for a second bookable offence late on. Spain's substitute goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo, who had replaced the injured Ramos early in the second half, was the hero of the shoot-out, saving from Kévin Monnet-Paquet and Quentin Othon to take his side through.
Spain triumph
The final brought together a side who had appeared in three of the first five U19 showpieces – winning them all – in Spain against a Greece team whose only previous experience of a UEFA youth tournament final was a 4-0 defeat against the Soviet Union in the 1985 European Under-16 Championship. As they had done in the sides' Group A game six days previously, Greece had the better of the early exchanges. Ninis and Mitroglou both, however, failed after being put clear and those misses proved costly seven minutes before half-time when Daniel Parejo curled in an opportunist left-wing free-kick.
Key absentees
Both teams were without key players through suspension with Spain missing captain Javier Martínez and Ángel Montoro and Greece's skipper Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Vassilis Pliatsikas also absent. Ultimately, though, it was Spain who celebrated yet another title, adding to the Under-17 crown they had won three months previously.
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