Four-goal Germany cruise into semi-finals
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Article summary
Germany 4-0 England
Christopher Buchtmann set up three of Germany's four goals as the hosts secured their place in the last four courtesy of a commanding display.
Article top media content
Article body
Christopher Buchtmann set up three of Germany's four goals as the hosts secured their place in the semi-finals of the UEFA European Under-17 Championship courtesy of a commanding display against England.
Solo goal
Robert Labus headed the hosts into a 13th-minute lead and, with England rocking, Lennart Thy stabbed in the second three minutes before half-time. Kevin Scheidhauer drove in a third after 56 minutes with Mario Götze capping a fine display with an individual effort late on. As well as a place in the last four, the three points also secure Germany's participation at the FIFA U-17 World Cup later this year, while England must beat Turkey on Tuesday and hope the hosts defeat the Netherlands to have any chance of reaching the semis.
Powerful header
After three England corners inside the opening seven minutes, it was somewhat against the run of play that Germany forged ahead. England goalkeeper Jed Steer rushed off his line to clear from Götze and from Buchtmann's ensuing corner, Labus headed in.
Hesitant defending
The goal knocked England back and was cue for a spell of home pressure. That pressure told when Thy stole in ahead of Thomas Parks to prod in Buchtmann's cross just before the break, with England's cause not helped by Jonjo Shelvey's withdrawal due to injury. Germany soon picked up from where they had left off at the end of the first half, with Steer turning away a drive from Buchtmann, who was causing England no end of problems.
Götze goal
The No7 claimed his third assist of the match when he wriggled through a number of challenges on the edge of the area and slid the ball wide for Scheidhauer, who shot low across Steer for his second goal of the finals. Götze sealed a fine performance late on when he waltzed round several defenders and slid the ball into the far corner. A late booking for Jose Baxter rules him out of England's game against Turkey, where a point would secure a World Cup ticket, while similarly Buchtmann will be banned against the Netherlands.