England celebrates: 3-1 victory over Spain in the U21 European Championship quarter-finals!

England celebrates: 3-1 victory over Spain in the U21 European Championship quarter-finals!

An exciting quarter-final of the U21 European Championship took place today at the Anton Malatinsky Stadium in Trnava. England triumphed over Spain with a convincing 3-1 victory to secure their ticket to the semi-finals, where the England U21s will face the Netherlands. Things got hot in the last encounters between the two teams: at the 2023 European Championship, England and Spain faced each other in the final, which England also won. The chances of another thrilling duel were high.

The game started with a controversial scene: Spain received a penalty in the 3rd minute, but it was overturned after a video review. Why the referees backed down here remains a mystery. But even without doors, the course was quickly set for a storm. England took an early 1-0 lead through James McAtee in the 10th minute. Just five minutes later, Harvey Elliott followed up and increased the score to 2-0. A quick double that gave the game a clear direction and presented the Spanish players with a big challenge.

Spanish answer and an exciting conclusion

As the first half progressed, Spain pushed to catch up. The team had already won narrow victories against Slovakia and Romania and was not easily defeated. The reward for the effort came in the 39th minute: Javi Guerra converted a penalty kick and made it 1-2. This goal briefly brightened the hopes of the Spanish squad, but England were unfazed.

In the second half the game became increasingly exciting. England had more chances, but remained waiting, so that the Spaniards repeatedly made timid attempts. Once it was Jack Hinshelwood who missed a great chance in the 78th minute. The game seemed almost decided when another penalty was whistled for England in stoppage time. Elliot Anderson punished the Spanish defense and made the final score 3-1. A successful conclusion for the England U21s, who have already taken a big step on their way to defending their title.

The outlook for the next steps

England can now look forward to the upcoming semi-final against the Netherlands with confidence. This duel promises a lot of excitement, as the Dutch have also shown themselves to be strong in the tournament so far. On the other hand, Spain is left with mixed feelings: after narrow victories in the preliminary round and a courageous performance in the quarter-finals, it is now time to learn from this experience.

The game's scorers at a glance:

• 0:1 McAtee (10. Minute)
• 0:2 Elliott (15. Minute)
• 1:2 Guerra (Foulelfmeter, 39. Minute)
• 1:3 Anderson (Foulelfmeter, 90+4. Minute)

For more information and details about the game, visit NinetyPlus or Kicker.