The holders of the title also go down against the English (2-0) and say goodbye to the tournament. Gandelman’s goal gives a historic qualification for the Israelis
No redemption for the reigning champions called to catch a last, complicated train for the quarter-finals of the Under 21 European Championship. The match in Batumi between Germany and England ends with a clear English success that condemns Di Salvo’s troop to elimination . Without Moukoko and with future Nerazzurri Bisseck as captain, Germany raises the white flag after a handful of minutes and resigns to a knockout that has the flavor of resounding failure after the three finals reached in the last six editions of the U21 European Championships. Together with England, dominating group C with full points and the only clean sheet, Israel also flies to the quarterfinals for the first time, thanks to a leap from Gandelman who knocks the Czech Republic down in the 82nd minute. The Israelis will now challenge Georgia.
England 2-0 Germany
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Carsley rests more than half of the starting team, but England still proves to be in another category. Batumi is a one-way challenge, and not just because the Germans are missing some key players, starting with the unavailable Moukoko. In fact, after just 4′ a flash of Archer took care of directing the challenge, who slingshots on a through ball from Ramsey burning Dardai and Bisseck before freezing Atubolu with a precise diagonal on the opposite post. The English grind the game and get married with an at times embarrassing German defense, which risks big on two initiatives by Ramsey before capitulating again on a splendid solo by Elliott after 21′: solo through the center, sprint to burn a slow Dardai and winning left foot of the Liverpool talent that definitively sinks the remaining German hopes. This can be understood because Di Salvo’s team struggles to come up with noteworthy chances and what little they build is badly wasted (Krauss on 8′ and Weiper on 32′). Vagnoman’s forfait also hit Germany after just a quarter of an hour, but not even the three changes in the second half bear fruit. The last half hour slipped away between substitutions (six in all) and two other clear opportunities from the English, who finished with three times as many shots as their opponents.
israel-rep. Czech 1-0
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Tense and drawn-out challenge in Kutaisi, where the Israelis inevitably played the game, forced to win to overtake their direct rivals in the standings. The Czech Republic aimed exclusively not to take them trying to keep the pace low and was facilitated by the lack of precision of their rivals in the first 45′. The mistakes of Gloukh and above all of Turgeman, guilty of throwing away a very good opportunity in the 55th minute after almost an hour of territorial supremacy, risked playing a bad joke on the Luzon troops. However, he found the well-deserved advantage in the 82nd minute, after 15 attempts, thanks to a header by Gandelman caught in the area by a soft center by Gloukh. Souchoparek played the Sejk card for the desperate final assault, but Peretz’s goal was not in great danger. Israel collects a historic result that rewards the sacrifice and commitment of the group even without prominent individuals.
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