Under-21 European final England Spain 1-0

39 years after the last time, the English Under 21 team is back on the roof of Europe: Curtis Jones’ deflection off the wall, following a free-kick taken by Palmer, was enough to narrowly beat Spain (1-0) in Batumi. The cup on the plane to London, however, the charge of weight the unbeatable Trafford goalkeeper in a thrilling finale: in the 99th minute he saves a penalty from Abel Ruiz and also exalts himself on Oroz’s retaliation, managing to avoid extra time and defending a unbeaten throughout the tournament. A block for six games, 540 minutes, like no one has ever been able to do in the history of the competition (with this formula).

third title

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Lee Carsley’s team, the Irish coach, thus brings the third category title to the Football Association and indirectly caresses the blues’ sorrows: if successful, Spain would in fact have detached Italy at the top of the roll of honor . It didn’t happen. If Abel Ruiz closes a high-profile European in tears, Trafford takes the cover justifying the market drafts: despite having just returned from a season in the third series (at Bolton), Burnley could pay him to Manchester City (owner of the card) over 20 million euros.

flash on free kick

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The boot is all English. Anthony Gordon, Tonali’s future team-mate at Newcastle, starts like a fury as a first mobile striker: first he commits Tenas (Palmer doesn’t arrive on the rebuttal), then he burns Paredes and almost sends Gibbs-White on goal. Heaving a sigh of relief, Spain entered the match and knocked around Trafford: Alex Baena tried to spin his right foot after a high recovery, then it was Paredes who touched the far post with his head. In the heart of the first half, in any case, the spaces get clogged and a large phase of fatigue emerges: the Spanish offensive engine – despite the usual ball possession – seems flooded, with the foreign players Rodri and Sergio Gomez off and the center forward Abel Ruiz forced to look for spaces on the trocar. But the finish is as lively as the beginning, above all thanks to dead balls: free-kick from the left side for a foul by Baena (who risks, already booked), Colwill lands a header and goes right into the top corner. England inches from the lead, which then arrives in the maxi recovery before the interval: another free-kick, won and beaten by Palmer’s left-footed, decisive deflection into the barrier by Jones who gives Tenas no way out. In the general nervousness, England went ahead thanks to the Liverpool midfielder (1-0) at the mid-game flying goal.

what a finale

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The first ten minutes of the second half are a monologue from Rojita, with a goal disallowed by Abel Ruiz for offside. With all the midfield booked, Denia decides to change in the quarter of an hour: Veiga and Oroz in for Baena and Sancet, together with Riquelme who takes the place of a spent Rodri. And so, as happened in the semifinal, the wings of the trident are moved to reverse foot. Physiologically Spain throws itself forward, but risks in the restart: Jones has the leg to run in management and decides to do it all by himself, forcing Tenas to make another good save with his right foot into the box. However, the game is played above all in the English defensive half and Carsley notices some of his team’s breathlessness: Madueke enters (still excluded from the 11) and – after the draw touched by Abel Ruiz, still with his head – also Skipp and Archer. Spain becomes even more offensive with Barrenetxea in place of Victor Gomez, while Madueke – fresher than all and eager – nearly doubled, still exalting Tenas.

It all seems over, but the “almost poison” is in the queue: in the 99th minute the Norwegian referee Eskas is called to the on field review and gives the penalty for a contact between the excellent Colwill and Abel Ruiz. The Braga center forward takes the ball which is worth extra time and the solitary title of top scorer, but finds Trafford in front of him with super powers. He first saved on the penalty, second on Oroz’s rebuttal, then Camello’s third attempt, who missed, shooting high, and despaired. England champions, on the evening in which Santi Denia’s golden generation failed what would have been a historic treble: six players and the Spanish coach, in fact, won the U17 and U19 European Championships together. The Under 21s, on the other hand, speak English.