England 3 Germany 2: Young Lions retain Euro U21s crown in THRILLER as supersub Jonathan Rowe wins it in extra-time
Premier League star walked off injured in the first half as Germany smack crossbar TWICE
TWO IN A ROWE England 3 Germany 2: Young Lions retain Euro U21s crown in THRILLER as supersub Jonathan Rowe wins it in extra-time
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WHAT a way to make an entrance!
Jonathan Rowe scored with his first meaningful touch to clinch back-to-back European Championship crowns for England.
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England's super-sub Jonathan Rowe won it for England with an early goal in extra-time
Credit: AP
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Rowe restored England's lead TWO MINUTES after coming on at full-time
Credit: AP
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The young Lions were in dreamland in extra-time
Credit: Getty
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England held strong after Germany smacked the crossbar in the dying seconds
Credit: Reuters
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Lee Carsley won back-to-back Euro titles
Credit: Reuters
And it was all done in front of a beaming Thomas Tuchel cheering them on from the stands as the Young Lions bounced back from blowing a two-goal lead to beat Germany 3-2.
Harvey Elliott and Omari Hutchinson got him off his seat early but Nelson Weiper and Paul Nebel brought them down to earth as painful memories flooded back.
But despite the glorious failures of countless superstars before them, this next golden generation is built differently.
And after holding strong against a German onslaught, they bounced back as Rowe grabbed the glory to leave their opponents crying into their steins.
It almost couldn't have been any sweeter than against our old foes.
This week marked the 29th anniversary since Germany broke our hearts at Wembley after Gareth Southgate's penalty miss.
Next week it will be 35 years since Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle were the shootout culprits at Italia 90.
But these boys, who have told the press pack out here many times, don't care about the past. There is no room for glorious failure. This shirt does not weigh heavy on them.
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Liverpool ace Harvey Elliott put England in front inside five minutes
Credit: Reuters
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Ipswich star Omari Hutchinson made it 2-0 just under 20 minutes later
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
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England first team manager Thomas Tuchel was full of smiles early on
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They certainly showed no fear and grit to overcome a German side who had not been beaten in 21 matches.
Despite facing six-goal tournament top scorer and Kane's heir to the Bayern Munich throne Nick Woltemade, these Young Lions wasted no time in sinking their teeth into the Germans.
Brighton Eye £40m Harvey Elliott from Liverpool
The striker, who Stuttgart are demanding £85m for, had not had a sniff by the time Elliott fired home on five minutes.
There was a touch of good luck about it but, after all, fortune favours the brave.
England's own top scorer started it with a drive inside only for his pass to the left deflected off team-mate Alex Scott's back and into the area.
Hutchinson reacted fastest but his effort was saved by Noah Atubolu.
A scramble ensued, and the ball was only cleared to the edge of the 18 yard box, and talisman Elliott took a touch and then drilled home.
The Liverpool star issued a warning to Arne Slot before heading out here that he was no longer willing to waste his career sitting on the bench.
If that wasn't a come-and-get-me plea to interested clubs then his displays out in Slovakia certainly have been.
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Germany striker Nelson Weiper pulled one back with a bullet header on the stroke of half-time
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Paul Nebel's stunning strike levelled the scores just after the hour mark
Credit: Getty
He stepped up and scored in all three of the knockout matches. A boy becoming a man for the big occasion.
The Young Lions smelt blood. Twice they came close to doubling their tally before it was the turn of captain James McAtee to shine.
His decision to choose playing here over going to the Club World Cup with Man City is a testament to what Carlsey has built.
The skipper did ever so well to hold off a defender and slip in Hutchinson, and he took a touch and smashed it past Atubolu.
His celebration was as good as the finish. An acrobatic somersault and German heads were spinning.
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Hutchinson did a somersault after doubling England's lead in the 24th minute
Credit: Getty
It could have been a rout, just like in 2009 when these two last met in the final of this competition, as McAtee put it on a plate across goal but neither Jay Stansfield nor Charlie Cresswell could finish.
That day Germany trounced Stuart Pearce's team 4-0. Six players from that team - Manuel Neuer, Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, Jerome Boateng, Dennis Aogo, and Marko Marin - went on to win the 2014 World Cup.
And Tuchel, sat upper the tier watching on, could easily have been forgiven for thinking he could be about to benefit in similar fashion.
But, as ever when it comes to playing against Germany, there's always a sting in the tail.
A naughty challenge by Eric Martel on Scott, which earned him a booking, right on half time eventually forced the Bournemouth man off. He was in tears as Tyler Morton replaced him.
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Bournemouth full-back Alex Scott's untimely substitution, after battling with long-term injury that saw him wearing a mask, left England vulnerable before half-time
Moments later Germany were back in it. Paul Nebel whipped in a cross and Weiper rose highest to head past James Beadle.
Game on. For those old enough, memories of 1970 came flooding back when England blew a two-goal lead and were dumped out of the World Cup by the Germans.
But Carsley, who told his opposite number Antonio Di Salvo 'see you in the final' after being beaten 2-1 by them ten days ago, went back even further.
Just like Sir Alf Ramsey in '66, the message was clear: 'You've beat them once, go beat them again.'
It didn't work out exactly like that. Beadle stopped a stinger from Gruda but he could do nothing to stop Paul Nebel curling home the equaliser.
The pressure was on. But our boys rode out the storm, even when Germany rattled the bar late on, and it was into extra-time.
Rowe was on for Elliott, and with just his second touch he met Morton's cross to head home. Carsley delivered again.
Now it's over to Tuchel next summer.
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