Germany U21 1-0 Spain U21: Mitchell Weiser header sees underdogs crowned European champions
Mitchell Weiser’s first-half effort saw Germany U21s beat Spain U21s in Friday’s night’s European Championship final in Krakow.
The Hertha Berlin winger headed in Jeremy Toljan’s right-wing centre after 40 minutes as Germany upset the odds to get the better of the more-fancied Spanish.
However, despite much probing and prodding from Albert Celades’s team after half-time, Germany’s back four held firm to win the tournament for just the second time in their history.
Team news
Germany made two changes from their semi-final win against England, with Niklas Stark and Mitchell Weiser returning, while Spain were unchanged
Against many of the pre-match expectations, it was Germany who started the stronger of the two, with Stefan Kuntz’s side twice going close to taking an early lead.
Firstly, Weiser saw a shot tipped over by Kepa Arrizabalaga, before Max Meyer’s long-range header beat the Spain goalkeeper, but not the outside of the post.
The Spanish were not without their own moments of threat, though, and it was Hector Bellerin of all players who almost broke the deadlock after 13 minutes after good work down the right wing from Daniel Ceballos.
However, the Arsenal right back’s glancing header just sailed the wrong side of the far post, and with five minutes to go until half-time, their opponents made the breakthrough.
Right-back Toljan, who has been outstanding throughout the tournament, made another of his characteristic raids down the wing, before digging out a near-post cross for Weiser.
The 23-year-old still had work to do to, only for his inch-perfect looping header to sail over a motionless Arrizabalaga and drop into the far corner of the net as Germany deservedly lead at the break.
Player Ratings
Germany: Pollersbeck (7), Toljan (8), Stark (7), Kempf (7), Gerhardt (8), Haberer (8), Weiser (8), Meyer (7), Arnold (7), Gnabry (7), Philipp (7).
Subs: Amiri (), Oztunali (), Kohr ().
Spain: Arrizabalaga (7), Bellerin (5), Mere (5), Vallejo (5), Jonny (4), Saul (5), Llorente (5), Ceballos (6), Asensio (6), Sandro (4), Deulofeu (5).
Subs: Gaya (5), Mayoral (4), Inaki (4).
Man of the Match: Mitchell Weiser
Celades’s men came out after the interval with all guns blazing as they went in search of an equaliser and came close to levelling matters through Saul Niguez’s well-struck effort just before the hour-mark.
But Germany were also a constant threat on the break and may have out the game out of sight after 61 minutes following a brilliant solo run from Serge Gnabry, only for Arrizabalaga to deny the former Arsenal player with a smart stop his legs.
Both teams had further chances to score in the closing half an hour at the Jozef Pilsudski Stadium as Marc-Oliver Kempf had a goalbound header deflected just past the far post, while Ceballos and captain Gerard Deulofeu went close from distance.
However, in the end Germany held strong to claim a second-ever continental title.
Man of the Match – Mitchell Weiser
Not only did the Hertha Berlin winger score the winner with a beautifully judged arching header five minutes before the break, but he was also a constant threat to the Spanish throughout.
The Pundit
Aidy Boothroyd: You can’t say that they (Germany) did not deserve it the way that they played. They can attack in a variety of different ways and the Spanish had no answers to them. The game-plan made the Spanish go wide, which they do not like, they like going through the centre, and in the end they won the game without a recognised centre forward. And that is really good coaching.Soccer Accumulator Bonus
Our fantastic Euro Soccer accumulator offer gives you the chance to earn a bonus of up to 100% on accumulators on the top domestic leagues in Europe along with the group and knockout stages of the Champions League.
This offer applies to returns on pre-match accumulators of 3 or more selections on Full Time Result or Result/Both Teams To Score markets for the English Premier League, Italian Serie A, Spanish Primera Liga, German Bundesliga 1 or UEFA Champions League.
The maximum bonus that you can receive is €100,000 or currency equivalent. The bonus will not apply where a stake has been fully Cashed Out. Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, the bonus will be calculated based .on the remaining active stake. If a qualifying bet is edited .using our Edit Bet feature. The bonus will be calculated based on the new stake. Where a bet has been edited to include or amend a selection for an event that is In-Play, the bonus will no longer apply. Double Chance bets or combination bets with bonuses. Such as Lucky 15’s or Lucky .31’s do not apply for this offer.
If your bet is successful, we will add the following bonuses to your returns:
Bet Type Bonus
14-folds and upwards 100% bonus
Terms and Conditions
Applies to straight pre-match accumulator bets on the Full Time Result or Result/Both Teams To Score markets for UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, Italian Serie A, Spanish Primera Liga, German Bundesliga .1 or Australian A-League matches. Maximum bonus €100,000 or currency equivalent. Soccer Accumulator Bonus does not apply to Double Chance bets or combination. bets with bonuses such as Lucky 15’s, Lucky 31’s etc.
If any selections are postponed/void then the bonus will still apply, but the percentage bonus added will reflect the actual number of winning selections. For example, an 8-fold accumulator with 7. winners and 1 postponed match will receive a 30% .bonus to returns.
The bonus part of your returns will be added to your account within 24 hours of your final selection having played.
This bonus will not apply where a stake has been fully Cashed Out. Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, the bonus will be calculated based on the remaining active stake.
If a qualifying bet is edited using our Edit Bet feature, the bonus will be calculated based on the new stake. Where a bet has been edited to include or amend a selection for an event that is In-Play, the bonus will no longer apply.
Where any term of the offer or promotion is breached or there is any evidence of a series of bets placed by a customer or group of customers, which due to a deposit bonus, enhanced payments, free bets, risk free bets or any other promotional offer results in guaranteed customer profits irrespective of the outcome, whether individually or as part of a group, bet365 reserves the right to reclaim the bonus element of such offers and in their absolute discretion either settle bets at the correct odds, void the free and risk free. bets or void any bet funded by the deposit bonus.
In addition bet365 .reserve the right to levy an administration charge on the customer up to the value of the deposit bonus, free bet, risk free bet or additional payment to cover administrative costs. We further reserve the right to ask any customer to provide sufficient documentation for us to be satisfied in our absolute discretion as to the customer’s identity prior to us crediting any bonus, free bet, risk free bet or offer to their account.
All bet365 offers are intended for recreational players and bet365 may in its sole discretion limit the eligibility of customers to participate in all or part of any promotion.
.
