Jonathan Rowe clinches England Under-21 Euros glory with extra-time winner
Both sides had met earlier in the competition – where Germany ran out 2-1 victors in their Group B clash – but England opened the scoring early in Bratislava through Harvey Elliott.
Omari Hutchinson doubled the lead 20 minutes later, but goals from Nelson Weiper and Paul Nebel either side of the break dragged Germany back into the game.
England were given a scare when Nebel's deflected strike hit the crossbar with a minute to go in normal time and a pulsating encounter went into extra time.
Substitute Rowe made an instant impact after coming off the bench, scoring with a diving header, and his goal proved decisive, despite Germany coming close again at the death when Merlin Rohl's effort hit the bar.
Lee Carsley's side struck after five minutes when Hutchinson forced Noah Atubolu into a brilliant low save and the rebound was cleared to Elliott, who coolly slotted the ball into the bottom-right corner to score his fifth goal of the tournament.
James McAtee sliced a shot across the face of goal and Jay Stansfield was inches away from converting a McAtee cross.
Harvey Elliott celebrates scoring England's opener (PA Images)
Germany captain Eric Martel sent an effort over the crossbar before England grabbed a second goal in the 25th minute.
McAtee had a chance blocked and he tapped the ball to Hutchinson, who drilled a strike between the legs of Atubolu and into the net.
Hutchinson came close again moments later as his shot flew wide and another dangerous England counter-attack saw Atubolu make a diving stop to deny McAtee.
Carsley was forced to make a change when Alex Scott was forced off through injury and Germany pulled a goal back in first-half stoppage-time when Nebel's pinpoint cross reached Weiper, who powered a header past James Beadle.
McAtee had an effort roll just past the upright after the break before Beadle was called into action at the other end to push away Nebel's effort.
Back-to-back 🏆🏆
Lee Carsley becomes the first England U21 manager to win consecutive #U21EUROs since Dave Sexton in '82 and '84 💫 pic.twitter.com/QgrENEfhnO
— England (@England) June 28, 2025
Germany began to threaten and equalised in the 61st minute when a corner reached the unmarked Nebel and he hit a stunning finish into the top corner.
McAtee curled a strike over the bar as England looked to regain some control and substitute Brooke Norton-Cuffy had a shot comfortably collected by Atubolu.
Germany missed the chance to snatch a dramatic winner when Nebel rattled the crossbar.
McAtee and Elliott came off for Ethan Nwaneri and Rowe, with the Marseille forward scoring just two minutes into extra time when he flicked Tyler Morton's superb cross into the bottom corner.
A solid defensive display saw England fend off some promising Germany attacks and Rohl hit the woodwork with two minutes to play as Carsley's Young Lions managed to successfully defend their European crown.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
42 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Jonathan Rowe's remarkable rise from Wembley mascot and horror injury to becoming England's hero at U21 Euros
Rowe will be joined by an England team-mate at his club next season Rowe your boat Jonathan Rowe's remarkable rise from Wembley mascot and horror injury to becoming England's hero at U21 Euros JONATHAN ROWE has gone from England mascot to Three Lions hero. He thought he had already lived the dream aged nine. Advertisement 10 Jonathan Rowe has had an incredible rise from England mascot to European champion Credit: Getty 10 In 2013 Rowe was an England mascot for a game with Brazil Credit: Instagram @england 10 He walked alongside the likes of David Luiz as Frank Lampard scored the winner Credit: Instagram @england 10 And fast forward 12 years and it is Rowe who was the Three Lions matchwinner Credit: Getty 10 Rowe made his real breakthrough at Norwich in 2023 Credit: Getty 10 He was then snapped up by Ligue 1 side Marseille in a £17m deal Credit: Getty Rowe not only accompanied David Luiz out in front of a packed Wembley, but he got to watch Frank Lampard secure England a 2-1 victory over Brazil. He called that day in 2013, also his first time visiting Wembley, his favourite memory supporting England. Fast-forward 12 years later and it's the now 22-year-old who is the matchwinner after his extra-time header downed Germany. Back then the forward was playing for AFC Wembley, but his first big break came when Norwich snapped him up in 2014. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL TRANSFER LATEST Gittens to have Chelsea MEDICAL, Liverpool wait for Isak, Joao Pedro latest But life was tough. Rowe, just 11, was struggling to juggle a three-hour daily commute from London to East Anglia as well as looking after his ill mother and helping to bring up his sister. It didn't get any easier. He was blighted by injuries over the following years as he battled Osgood-Schlatter disease - a common cause of knee pain. Though not even all of that can stop our boy Rowe. In 2021, his first-team debut for the Canaries arrived and in the 2023/24 campaign he enjoyed his breakthrough. Advertisement BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Rowe scored 13 goals as Norwich reached the Championship play-off semi-finals. That caught the eye of French giants Marseille, and he was soon waving 'Au Revoir' to Carrow Road for a new adventure on the French Riviera for £17million. England 3 Germany 2- Young Lions retain Euro U21s crown in THRILLER as supersub Jonathan Rowe wins it in extra-time 10 Advertisement But with a fresh chapter comes new challenges - and Rowe admits he's struggled. He started just six of his 22 Ligue 1 appearances. But the move away for Rowe has again come with challenges. He started just six league games last season, with 22 more appearances coming from the bench and he admits he worried whether that would cost him a place in Lee Carsley's squad for this tournament in Slovakia. Advertisement Rowe, who will have Marseille new boy and fellow England U21 star CJ Egan-Riley as a team-mate next term, said: 'There were times where I thought there is a lot of talent and a lot of competition, healthy competition. "But I always back myself. I had to make sure I was here and I think I showed tonight why. 'The last camp before this I wasn't picked for it and it's those type of things that kind of get to you sometimes. 'You have got to look at the bigger picture and make sure that you prove yourself again and I fortunately got to do that. Advertisement 'I got in the squad and I'm so glad I could help the team win this trophy once again.' 10 Rowe has struggled for game time in France, starting just six league games Credit: Getty 10 But the winger backs himself to rise to the top, with games like the final showing what he can do Credit: AP 10 Advertisement TRANSFER NEWS LIVE - KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
European U21 champions again - but who could make World Cup?
The triumphant England Under-21s were hidden by the tickertape as they lifted the Euro 2025 trophy. Now they must ensure they do not disappear again. As the blue and white confetti rained down from the Slovakian sky the Young Lions were wrapped up in their deserved to be. Jonathan Rowe's extra-time goal sealed successive European titles after Germany had fought back from 2-0 down in many it was their last chance with the Under-21s, but, with a World Cup next summer, they have the opportunity to force their way into Thomas Tuchel's we assess who might progress to the full squad in time for next year's World Cup, and what the progress of those who went before them might tell us. Who are the standouts to make the World Cup? So, with a World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico less than 12 months away, who can make the step up?Of the Euro 2023 winners, James Trafford, Levi Colwill, Cole Palmer, Morgan Gibbs-White, Noni Madueke and Curtis Jones were named in Tuchel's squad for the games against Andorra and Senegal last we see such a progression from the class of 25?Newcastle full-back Tino Livramento is the obvious one to follow them after a good tournament and a fine season for the has played on the right for England this summer but could fill the problematic left-back role for Myles Lewis-Skelly started in the 3-1 defeat by Senegal and Livramento - given his senior debut against the Republic of Ireland by Carsley last season - will be a standout option next summer should his form returned to the Under-21s this summer after discussions with Tuchel and Carsley, with the pair eager for the 22-year-old to use his experience to help lead the Elliott had the big moments in Slovakia to be named player of the tournament - the opening goal in the final, two match-winning strikes in the semi-final, scoring against Spain and England's opening goal of the tournament against the Czech big moments amplify his talent and only strengthen his and Liverpool's attacker could leave Anfield this summer in search of regular football, after only two Premier League starts in Liverpool's title success, which should push him closer to senior team-mate Jarell Quansah will be expecting more top-level minutes at Bayer Leverkusen, once his impending move from Liverpool is confirmed, after struggling for game time for the champions this season, and, at 33, Dan Burn's England career will not go on City's James McAtee captained the U21s and excelled. But, like Elliott and Quansah, his future is uncertain with reports he could leave Etihad Stadium this summer. This highlights one of the conundrums facing the Premier League's academy products. Selling them on has become highly lucrative for clubs' balance sheets, as they go down as pure profit in the accounts because no transfer fee was paid for them in the first this affect their development, or will moves allow them to thrive like Palmer when he left Manchester City for Chelsea? Who else could be in the reckoning? Centre-back Charlie Cresswell impressed in Slovakia. The Toulouse defender was man of the match in the quarter-final win over Spain in follows a debut season in France during which the former Leeds centre-back was linked with Serie A side son of former Preston and Sheffield United striker Richard, played 33 times as Toulouse finished 10th in Ligue 1 following last summer's move from Elland Road, having made only six starts for his boyhood Forest's Elliot Anderson, who has also played for Scotland Under-21s, was a machine in Slovakia having impressed at the City dynamic and combative 22-year-old is now too old for the Young Lions and a repeat of his first season at Forest will make him hard to is also expected of Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri, although, at 18, he is the youngest in the attacker started against Slovenia and Germany in the group stage - off the back of 37 appearances for the Gunners last season - but has time to are plenty of others to consider as well, with several missing from Carsley's Delap was named in the initial group for Slovakia but joined Chelsea and travelled to the Club World Cup. A strong season at Stamford Bridge - following his 12 goals for relegated Ipswich last season - will give Tuchel a strong Gittens, also at the Club World Cup with Borussia Dortmund, is close to a move to Chelsea and the former Manchester City youngster will be able to display his talents in the Premier Wharton - missing the tournament as he recovered from concussion - went to Euro 2024 but never played, and the Crystal Palace midfielder will surely return to the senior squad next Bellingham's move to Dortmund from Sunderland will provide him a platform. Progress for England's youth teams - but senior progress is never guaranteed Tuchel made the dash from the Club World Cup in the US to support the Young Lions against his home nation as they repeated the success of Dave Sexton's side in 1982 and two years ago was an outlier but now it is slowly becoming the had previously failed to get out of the group in five of the previous six of winning, though, manager Lee Carsley's role - along with his coaches and predecessors - has been to develop players and results over the past decade have proved and justified the Football Association's methods since the opening of St George's Park in U17s won the Euros in 2014 and U19s followed in 2017 and 2022. There have also been World Cup wins for the U17s and U20s, both in 2017."We spoke two years ago - we were putting under-21s champions together with under-19s and working out the dynamics of that group," said Carsley."You can see why the under-19s did so well because they're so determined, and that doesn't half help when you're a coach because they want to win; they're used to winning."The more England players we've got who are used to putting on an England shirt and winning can only help the senior team because there's an expectation."You'll see that with the generation now who hopefully have gone through to the seniors, there's an expectancy when they play for England and a performance and a win comes with that."Of the 2023 winners, the most notable current star is Palmer - and another six were in Tuchel's most recent England Colwill, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Gibbs-White, Emile Smith Rowe, Anthony Gordon, Jarrad Branthwaite, Jones, Angel Gomes and Madueke have won senior 2021 - when England went out at the group stage - Aaron Ramsdale, Marc Guehi, Conor Gallagher, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Eberechi Eze add their names to the list, although Hudson-Odoi made hs senior debut in 2019 before playing for the record scorer Eddie Nketiah, who has 16 goals in 17 U21 games, is yet to become an England regular, his one cap coming against Australia two years ago. About half of those victorious in the 1982 and 1984 squads never won a senior cap for England - and none of them went on to be Three Lions Hateley, who was in both squads, won the most caps - 32 - with five more players reaching 10 caps or more, including Terry Fenwick with Owen, who scored twice in the 3-1 second-leg win over Germany, only managed seven England B caps and never made his senior total, 29 players have won the Under-21 European Championship and then a major senior tournament, including Laurent Blanc, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon, Francesco Totti and Manuel is a list Carsley's victorious squad of 23 would love to join.
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Imminent Rangers transfer ridiculed as Hotline spots the real answer staring Russell Martin in the face
The calculators are out on the Hotline but is the free transfer option one Rangers should be pursuing? Robert Livingstone, Palm Beach, thinks so. He said: "It's unlikely Rangers will get the money wanted for Hamza lgamane, he'll stay. With Dessers it's been a drawn-out affair for that extra £1m, he also may stay. So any point spending £5m on a risky untried Dor Turgeman who may or may not be any good? " Russell Martin wants to wake up to himself and get Lawrence Shankland for nothing, it's staring him in the face. He's fit and ready for European and SPFL games. Most punters say it's common sense, and last chance saloon for Martin to get him." Charles Maxwell reckons former head of recruitment Nils Koppen is due some credit for his role in bringing Igamane to Ibrox in the first place. He said: "Going by the figures flying around for Igamane, it's beginning to look like blue chip holdings sold the golden goose just as it was starting to lay an egg or two. "Perhaps now the poorly treated and recently punted Nils Koppen will get the credit he deserves." Gordon Ashley, Ayr, said: "Rangers and their fans need to stop dreaming. I was scoffed at by Chris Lowe and co for mocking Rangers £25m valuation of Igamane and now it seems that has dropped to a pitiful £13m and the likes of Lille are walking away laughing. "Celtic get big money deals for our players because we are champions and play at a much higher level in Europe so get used to it. " Rangers have been heavily linked with Brighton teenager Zebedee Lawson but Richard Wharton, Carlisle, said: "Who is this Zebedee who has turned down Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Dortmund to sign on at Govan? Oh yes he's from the magic roundabout!" Across the city Jimmy Murray, Edinburgh, has two exits he'd like to see at Celtic. He said: "So fed up with the same crap coming out of Parkhead every transfer window. Forget buying rubbish. Just get proper professional coaches in and bring through the talent at Lennoxtown. "What we have now is coach John Kennedy who wanders about the training ground with a notepad and fellow hanger-on Gavin Strachan who does the same only with his trusty laptop. Get this pair out or Celtic will never go forward." Stephen Mulhern, Dumbarton, said: "It's reported that Brenford are the latest club to be linked with Daizan Maeda but I think he will have second thoughts regarding moving at this stage of his career when seeing how Matt O'Riley and Kyogo's moves turned out. "Brentford are hardly a Bayern and I can see him moving to a top European side in the future but not at this moment in time." And a quote from Jim Goodwin after signing defender Bert Esselink has caught Tim Gibbens' attention. He said: "Are Dundee United now being managed by an algorithm? "Jim Goodwin announced the signing of Bert Esselink by saying that 'the statistical data reinforces his intelligence when selecting a progressive passing option'. Can you imagine the likes of Jock Stein or Brian Clough ever saying that?"
