An impressive Germany beat Poland 1-0 to book their place in their third UEFA European Under-17 Championship final in four years.

Stefan Böger's side won all their group games with improving performances and looked in no mood to break that pattern against Poland. Leon Goretzka's looping header from Marc Stendera's corner gave them a 34th-minute lead and from there it was relatively plain sailing.

After an early effort from Vincent Rabiega, Poland did not get a look in as Germany dominated the first half. Goretzka dictated play effortlessly in midfield, and Stendera and the ever-impressive Max Meyer combined superbly around lone frontman Said Benkarit. In contrast, Mariusz Stępiński was offered little support and, marked by the powerful Niklas Süle, struggled to find space.

It proved a frustrating first period, though, for Benkarit, who is yet to score in the tournament. The striker had two good chances to get off the mark; first clipping the top of the bar after pouncing on a Gracjan Horoszkiewicz error, then scuffing an effort when one-on-one with Oskar Pogorzelec thanks to Meyer's incisive slipped pass.

But with six minutes left of the half, captain Goretzka darted to the front post and his flicked header ensured his team did not go into the dressing room rueing squandered opportunities.

Poland started the second half brightly, and only the imposing Süle's interventions prevented the gloss being put on two neat counterattacks as Germany initially struggled to maintain their stranglehold. Although they generally looked at ease with the Poland attack, fortune favoured them heavily on 70 minutes when Karol Linetty's curling free-kick cracked off the crossbar.

But ultimately it was only Pogorzelec who prevented an even more emphatic win for the Germans, making three wonderful saves in the final minutes, before Poland's misery was compounded by Igor Łasicki's late dismissal.