England successfully defend their title at the U21 European Championships in Slovakia. Coach Lee Carsley's team won the final in Bratislava against Germany 3:2 after extra time, thanks in part to luck.
28.06.2025, 23:43
29.06.2025, 08:45
dpa
The Germans had come back from 2-0 down before extra time. In stoppage time of the second half, they were unlucky when a shot by Paul Nebel, who had made it 2:2 (61'), rebounded off the crossbar. In the 121st minute, substitute Merlin Röhl also failed to hit the crossbar with a volley from just under 16 meters.
Mainz's Nelson Weiper (45.+1 minute) and Paul Nebel (61st) had given the German team, who had fought back furiously after the sobering deficit, renewed hope of a fourth DFB title. Harvey Elliott (5') and Omari Hutchinson (24') had previously scored early goals for the Young Lions - and then Joker Jonathan Rowe (92') struck late on in the thrilling extra time.
Two years to the day after the 2-0 defeat at Euro 2023 - curiously also against England - Germany's run of 20 games without defeat came to an end. After the titles of the generations around Manuel Neuer (2009), Serge Gnabry (2017) and Florian Wirtz (2021), the Woltemade generation had to settle for second place. The title of top scorer after scoring six goals in the tournament is no consolation for the Stuttgart player, who was tipped as a future Bayern star.
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England U21 - Germany U21 3:2 (2:2, 2:1) n.V.
Bratislava. - 19'153 spectators. - SR van der Eijk (NED). - Goals: 5. Elliott 1:0. 25. Hutchinson 2:0. 45. Weiper 2:1. 61. Nebel 2:2. 92. Rowe 3:2.
