The final
Monday, May 21, 2018
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Spain and Germany met for the fifth time in a Women's Under-17 final – and thanks to Eva Navarro, the Iberians were able to reverse a losing trend.
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"I expect to win the final," said Spain's wily winger Eva Navarro on the eve of her third final. There was conviction in her words and, 24 hours later, also in her actions as she inspired Spain to their fourth tournament victory, allowing them to hold Women's Under-19 and Under-17 crowns simultaneously for the first time since Germany achieved the same feat in 2008.
The confidence with which the pint-sized number 18 spoke with UEFA's Technical Observers was substantiated by her performance on the field in Mariampolė. "I feel very fortunate," she said. "In many years I can look back on this as the most important experience of my life."
She will look back on the 2018 showpiece with particular fondness.
After the tearful endings in 2016 and 2018, there would be emotions of a different nature come the final whistle. Germany, boasting an unbeaten record in seven previous finals, had gained confidence from their semi-final humbling of England, and they shaped up with the same eleven players, boasting a consonantly confident mentality. The early chances were consequently theirs.
Greta Stegemann, advancing often from her deep starting position and effusing authority, had the first sighter as she headed over. Her free-kick from deep was subsequently headed on by Shekiera Martinez, who was denied her tenth goal of the tournament by Catalina Coll. The Spanish custodian excelled again by tipping Leonie Köster's effort behind before making another fine save to prevent Vanessa Fudalla from giving Germany the lead just before the break.
Spain had enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening 40 minutes, albeit struggling to carve a way through the Germany defence as Navarro and Salma Paralluelo swapped sides to keep Germany's wing backs second guessing.
Their perseverance paid off, however, as they made the breakthrough early in the second half with Paula Arana playing an incisive ball through for Navarro. Spain's number 18 did not need to alter her penetrating run as just one deft touch was required to slot the ball coolly past the onrushing Wiebke Willebrandt and give Spain the lead.
Paralluelo had the opportunity to double Spain's advantage as they were now in the ascendancy, but Willebrandt held her nerve to deny the pacey winger, repeating the trick to deny Navarro a second soon after. With penalty shoot-out defeats in 2014, 2016 and 2017 still lingering in their minds, Spain looked to turn the screw and prevent a similar epilogue to their journey in Lithuania, holding their positions and looking to hit powerfully on the break.
One such counterattack, which came straight out of a textbook, ensured this would not be the fifth final in seven years to be decided on spot-kicks, and guaranteed Spain's fifth straight final would end in glory. Within minutes of the final whistle, the world's media had already picked up on a goal which would have made the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi proud. It was Navarro's coup de grâce.
The Murcian advanced with the ball at her feet at a phenomenal pace, while her mind was ticking even faster as she anticipated two Germany challenges, skipping out of the way of both, before cutting back onto her left foot and looping the ball unstoppably over Willebrandt from just outside the penalty area.
A fourth Women's Under-17 European Championship title was Spain's.
Martinez was unable to add to her nine goals, a record for this competition and already the joint most in any UEFA football final tournament (with Michael Platini in EURO '84 and Elena Danilova in the 2005 Women's U19 EURO), but she had the honour of taking to the podium first to receive her consolation award as the tournament's top-scorer.
A German guard of honour then marked the path for Spain's players to march forth and take their place in history. One thing can be taken for granted, however: Germany will be back next year to ensure this first final defeat is merely a blip, and Spain can be expected in Bulgaria, bidding for a sixth straight final, in their new role as holders.