Netherlands end Under-19 EURO wait

In an extraordinary tournament where a UEFA European Under-19 Championship record 65 goals were scored in the 15 matches, the Netherlands were crowned champions in Romania.

The previous U19 EURO in Romania in 2011 had been won by Spain, and they were aiming to retain the title and make it ten wins since the championship's re-categorisation from U18 in 2001. But the Netherlands, who won all four games of their run to the final by a margin of at least two, beat the holders 1-0 with an own goal just past the hour in Bucharest. This made the Netherlands just the second country after Germany to have won all of UEFA's current national-team tournaments, senior or youth, men or women.

History was also made in qualifying when Montenegro reached their first UEFA final tournament as an independent nation. They scored first too in their opening fixture against the hosts, through Vuk Vlahović, but Romania came back for a dramatic 2-1 success.

Spain dominated Group A with three victories, second place coming down to a direct meeting between Romania and Denmark, who also had beaten Montenegro. The decider was won by the hosts to the delight of a crowd of more than 6,000 as Romania booked their first U19 EURO semi-final.

Germany, with many of the same squad that won the 2023 U17 EURO, had a rude Group B awakening when losing their opener 3-0 to the Netherlands, who then prevailed 2-0 against Norway, who had held England 2-2. Germany subsequently surged into a 4-1 half-time lead against England, which they increased after the break. Yet England replied with four goals in 12 minutes for only the second 5-5 draw in any UEFA football competition.

Second place behind the Netherlands was very much open, and hope was given to Norway and Germany as England trailed the Dutch 3-0 at the interval, eventually losing 4-2. Still, if the other game was drawn, England were through. Norway went ahead on 72 minutes but Germany equalised with five minutes left and, in added time, Said El Mala's goal secured them the other semi-final slot.

Amazingly, in the ensuing last-four tie, the record for highest-scoring U19 EURO finals match ever fell again. Germany led Spain 2-1 going into added time only to concede twice to Pablo García (completing his hat-trick) and then earn an extra half-hour through an own goal. Spain struck first in the additional period but Max Moerstedt then got his second and third of the game to fire Germany ahead. Jan Virgili levelled for the holders, before García bagged his fourth of the contest to conclude an epic 6-5 Spanish victory.

The Netherlands' progress was more serene, beating Romania 3-1 in front of a crowd of over 12,000. And the final also went the way of the Dutch, the nation with a record four U17 EURO titles now adding a U19 crowd. Kees Smit was named Player of the Tournament and was also joint-top scorer on four goals with El Mala, García and Moerstedt.