In a tense quarter-final matchup, England’s Under-21 team is set to face off against Spain after a narrow 2-1 loss to Germany in their final group stage match at the Under-21 European Championship held in Slovakia. Finishing as runners-up in Group B, manager Lee Carsley’s squad needed a win in Nitra to advance from the group atop the standings, but they struggled to find their form against a Germany side that made 11 changes yet still controlled much of the game.
Germany’s Ansgar Knauff, an exciting winger from Eintracht Frankfurt, opened the scoring early with a masterful finish, followed by Mainz’s Nelson Weiper doubling the lead with a powerful header. England, who triumphed over Spain in the final two years ago, will now face the favorites in Trnava on Saturday.
England’s hopes were reignited when Bournemouth’s Alex Scott scored from a cross by Omari Hutchinson in the 76th minute, bringing the score to 2-1. However, they were unable to replicate the remarkable comeback their under-19 counterparts had shown against Germany just days earlier.
Fortuitously for England, Slovenia’s loss to the Czech Republic ensured their advancement, despite the disappointing defeat.
England U21 head coach Lee Carsley
England fell behind quickly, just three minutes into the match, when Lukas Ullrich found space to deliver a stunning diagonal ball into the box. Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah couldn’t keep up with the play, allowing Knauff to control the ball elegantly and flick it past goalkeeper James Beadle.
By halftime, England faced a 2-0 deficit, largely due to defensive lapses. Knauff assisted Weiper’s header, which made it clear that the English defense needed to regroup. Harvey Elliott appeared to spark a response by aiming high from inside the box just before the break, and Elliot Anderson almost scored, but was thwarted by German goalkeeper Tjark Ernst.
As darkness enveloped the Pod Zoborom Stadium due to a floodlight failure, England’s challenges persisted. Despite Carsley introducing three substitutions at halftime, the team’s struggles continued. Hinshelwood missed a prime opportunity to score in the 74th minute with a misdirected header. However, Scott’s late strike brought hope for England, though they were ultimately unable to convert other chances as Ernst continued to deny them.