Russia triumph after shoot-out drama

By Kevin Ashby at ZTE stadium

Russia won their first UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship in dramatic style as Elvira Todua saved a penalty from Laure Boulleau to settle a final which had gone to sudden death spot-kicks following a 2-2 draw.

Hero
The Russians were six minutes away from winning the tie inside normal time after Elena Danilova (77) had added to Elena Terekova's 46th-minute opening goal, only for Morgane Courteille to follow Elodie Thomis (66) in equalising for France. Russia never looked back in the shoot-out after France goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi hit what would have been a deciding penalty against the bar, creating an opportunity for her opposite number to become the hero.

Excellent goalkeeping
It was tough luck on Bouhaddi who, like Todua, had excelled over the two weeks preceding this final. She frustrated Elena Morozova with two early stops and in one ten-minute spell dived acrobatically to turn away another drive from the Russia right-winger, palmed a scooped Terkehova shot away and raced out of her area to hack the ball clear of the on-rushing Danilova.

Hit the bar
In between, Courteille whipped in a low cross from the right which defender Anna Koznikova inadvertently flicked on to the bar under pressure from Thomis at the near post. Thomis's pace and Marie-Laure Delie's power combined to cause Russia sporadic problems, although it was a 39th-minute shot from central midfielder Inès Dahou which forced a flying save from Todua as the ball fizzed towards her top corner.

Captain denied
The keeper made an even more dramatic stop from the resulting corner, diving in bravely to somehow catch a close-range effort from Sabrina Delannoy when the France captain appeared destined to score. Russia did just that within a minute of the restart, Terekhova striding into the right-hand side of the penalty area and unleashing a low shot which Bouhaddi turned to see trickling over the line despite getting a strong hand to it.

Terekhova opener
Bouhaddi was beaten again in the 65th minute, only for Danilova's rasping left-foot drive from a central position just outside the box to crash back into play off the bar. The let-off prompted France into raising their game and within 60 seconds they were level as Thomis reacted first to turn the loose ball into an empty net after Todua had failed to cleanly take a cross from the left.

Brilliant finish
Danilova was not to be denied for a second time, however, and in the 77th minute scored the pick of the game's goals. She still had work to do after being found with a low pass from the halfway line, but sped past the last defender and quite brilliantly arced a shot over Bouhaddi and into the top right-hand corner of the goal via the crossbar and post.

Extra time
It was a strike worthy of settling any game and appeared to be doing just that until Courteille rose highest on the five-metre line to flick in Dahou's corner and force extra time. The additional 30 minutes were largely uneventful until the final foray when substitute Marie-Pierre Castera brought a save out of Todua, who was lying on the ground when Julie Peruzzetto raced in to smash the rebound against the crossbar and over from three metres.

Nervous
The impetus was with France in the shoot-out when Oxana Titova skied Russia's second penalty high over the bar, but they could not take advantage as Bouhaddi struck the tenth kick against the woodwork. Todua, Coralie Ducher and Ksenia Tsybutovich subsequently scored before the denouement which saw the nervous Boulleau shoot straight at Todua and Russian celebrations begin.