Under-21 EURO highlights, round-up: Italy and Spain advance

Italy and Spain are the first two teams through to the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship quarter-finals, Spain coming from behind with two goals in the last five minutes. France, though, left it even later against Georgia.

We review Saturday's Matchday 2 action.

Spain 2-1 Romania

Substitutes Mikel Jaureguizar and Roberto Fernández earned La Rojita another stunning comeback victory in Bratislava. Spain, who hit a 90th-minute winner on Matchday 1, trailed for much of this contest to Louis Munteanu's powerful fourth-minute strike, with Mateo Joseph missing a first-half penalty.

In the end, Romania came within five minutes of a first win against Spain at this level since 1977. Yet moments after Romania replacement Vladislav Blănuță was sent off, Jaureguizar curled in delightfully from distance before Roberto Fernández completed the turnaround, prodding in from close range.

Player of the Match: Javi Guerra (Spain)

Key stat: Santi Denia's side have begun their group campaign with successive wins for the second edition in a row.

Slovakia 0-1 Italy

Cesare Casadei's composed seventh-minute finish ensured the Azzurrini booked their place in the last eight, ending the hosts' hopes of reaching the knockout stage in the process.

The Torino forward's industry forced a turnover just inside his own half ahead of embarking on a surging run, collecting a return pass from Wilfried Gnonto before squeezing a neat strike inside the far post. Italy goalkeeper Sebastiano Desplanches made a stunning one-handed stop to deny Slovakia an equaliser in added time.

Player of the Match: Cher Ndour (Italy)

Key stat: Italy have claimed maximum points from their first two U21 EURO group matches for the first time since 2013.

Portugal 5-0 Poland

A ruthless first-half attacking display gave Portugal their first win as Geovany Quenda impressed in a crushing victory. The Sporting CP winger tapped in the opener then produced a brilliant solo effort to make it 2-0, with Roger Fernandes providing the assist each time.

Henrique Araújo and Paulo Bernardo both marked their record-equalling 30th Portuguese U21 appearances with goals prior to the break before Rodrigo Gomes rounded things off just after the hour for Rui Jorge's side.

Player of the Match: Geovany Quenda (Portugal)

Key stat: Portugal have lost only two of their last 15 U21 EURO group matches (W9 D4), while Poland have won just two of their last eight (D1 L5).

France 3-2 Georgia

Thierno Barry hit a 102nd-minute winner as France snatched all three points in a sensational finale in Žilina. Heading into the last 15 minutes Les Bleuets led through Mathys Tel's first-half penalty and but for the brilliance of goalkeeper Luka Kharatishvili and defender Saba Sazonov they would have been out of sight.

The introduction of Giorgi Abuashvili changed all that, the Georgia replacement scoring one and then setting up Sazonov to make it 2-1 with six minutes remaining. It set up a thrilling end-to-end finale in which Johann Lepenant (89) equalised before substitute Barry turned in a cross-shot from defender Castello Lukeba.

Player of the Match: Mathys Tel (France)

Key stat: Georgia, contesting their second finals, suffered their first defeat in regulation time at a U21 EURO; they exited the 2023 tournament on penalties against Israel in the quarter-finals.