Germany will take on the Netherlands in Monday's UEFA European Under-17 Championship final in Magdeburg after Reinhold Yabo and Bienvenue Basala-Mazana struck in the last ten minutes for a 2-0 (0-0) win against Italy.
The hosts were given their toughest game of the finals in Dessau-Rosslau against an Italy team who, in the national style, have improved as this tournament has gone on. Both goalkeepers had been made to work before Italy's Mattia Perin was finally beaten by Yabo (69.) after superb work from Christopher Buchtmann and Basala-Mazana then became Germany's ninth different finals scorer (76.).
"I am very happy with the result. It was a disciplined activity against a flexible combatant", said DFB-Sportdirektor Matthias Sammer. "Now we have to regenerate because the final is a hard task. Our ambition is the title."
Italy were ensuring Germany got little room in the first-half in midfield and Giacomo Beretta was proving a menace, forcing Marc-André ter Stegen into a point-blank save from an opportunist strike and then heading wide from Marco Fossati's cross. Germany were still having their moments, though, Buchtmann – having switched from the left to right flank – setting Thy free to shoot just wide. Italy also threatened in the air, Simone Dell'Agnello heading over from FC Internazionale Milano colleague Lorenzo Crisetig's free-kick.
In the end it was Germany that got the goal. Buchtmann cut in on the right and crossed low. Perin managed to parry Götze's initial effort but a scramble ensured and Germany captain Yabo was in position to lash in. The hosts did not settle for that, though, and after a superb interchange Götze laid off for right-back Basala-Mazana to seal their place in Monday morning's decider.
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Germany will take on the Netherlands in Monday's UEFA European Under-17 Championship final in Magdeburg after Reinhold Yabo and Bienvenue Basala-Mazana struck in the last ten minutes for a 2-0 (0-0) win against Italy.
The hosts were given their toughest game of the finals in Dessau-Rosslau against an Italy team who, in the national style, have improved as this tournament has gone on. Both goalkeepers had been made to work before Italy's Mattia Perin was finally beaten by Yabo (69.) after superb work from Christopher Buchtmann and Basala-Mazana then became Germany's ninth different finals scorer (76.).
"I am very happy with the result. It was a disciplined activity against a flexible combatant", said DFB-Sportdirektor Matthias Sammer. "Now we have to regenerate because the final is a hard task. Our ambition is the title."
Italy were ensuring Germany got little room in the first-half in midfield and Giacomo Beretta was proving a menace, forcing Marc-André ter Stegen into a point-blank save from an opportunist strike and then heading wide from Marco Fossati's cross. Germany were still having their moments, though, Buchtmann – having switched from the left to right flank – setting Thy free to shoot just wide. Italy also threatened in the air, Simone Dell'Agnello heading over from FC Internazionale Milano colleague Lorenzo Crisetig's free-kick.
In the end it was Germany that got the goal. Buchtmann cut in on the right and crossed low. Perin managed to parry Götze's initial effort but a scramble ensured and Germany captain Yabo was in position to lash in. The hosts did not settle for that, though, and after a superb interchange Götze laid off for right-back Basala-Mazana to seal their place in Monday morning's decider.
