2022 Under-19 EURO final preview: Israel vs England
Friday, July 1, 2022
Article summary
Israel face 2017 winners England in the 2022 Under-19 EURO final on Friday 1 July.
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Group B winners England and section runners-up Israel meet once more to decide the 2022 Under-19 EURO champions at 20:00 CEST on Friday 1 July at Trnava Stadium.
A second title is in reach for England, although Israel, in their first final, will be eager to mute the Young Lions' roar and make a piece of history of their own.
What's the story?
Group B winners England have the richer pedigree in the tournament. This is their 11th U19 EURO and their fourth final, their 2017 victory against Portugal following defeats by France in 2005 and Ukraine in 2009.
Contrastingly, this is uncharted territory for section runners-up Israel who, on their second participation in the tournament, have reached the decider for the first time. In fact, this is the first occasion any Israel national team has reached a UEFA showpiece.
Meeting for the second time in the space of a week, the teams have already had the opportunity to size up their opposition. England had the edge on Saturday when Liam Delap's early goal settled the contest in Žiar nad Hronom.
That said, Ian Foster's starting XI on Matchday 3 featured only four players who started for England in the semi-finals whereas Israel counterpart Ofir Haim only swapped three of his men.
Having recorded three assured victories including three clean sheets in the groups, England conceded their first goal in a tricky semi-final against Italy on Tuesday. However, inspired by a message from senior manager Gareth Southgate, the Young Lions revealed another side to their character as they knuckled down and fought back tooth and nail to secure their spot on Friday.
Their opponents, as they demonstrated in a hard-fought last-four victory over France, harness an unfaltering sense of self-belief, and Haim's determined charges also have every right to stake their claim.
Haim joked that he might need "13 players" to beat England as two sides brimming with confidence arrive in Trnava as equals.
Key stats
- England beat Portugal 2-1 to win in 2017. However, they lost each of their other previous finals (2005 and 2009).
- This is Israel's second appearance in the competition. In 2014 they did not qualify from the group stage.
- England's Dane Scarlett and Carney Chukwuemeka, and Israel's Oscar Gloukh have scored two finals goals each so far.
When and where is the 2022 Under-19 EURO final?
The final will take place at Trnava Stadium at 20:00 CEST on Friday 1 July.