A late goal by Richard Sukuta-Pasu decided the semifinal of the UEFA under 19 Championships between Germany and host-nation Czech Republic. The DFB-team clinched a dramatic 2-1 (1-0, 0-0) win and moves on to the European final on Saturday.
Italy defeated Hungary 1-0 (0-0) in the first semifinal, so that Germany and Italy meet in the European final on Saturday at Jablonec (7 P.M., live on Eurosport).
"My team deserved to win this game", said Germany’s coach Horst Hrubesch, whose header won Germany the European Championship in 1980. "We were able to control the game. Now we have to regroup and refill the energy tanks, so that we can give Italy just as good a fight as tonight."
Since 1992, when the U 17 won the European Championships, no German juniors team has won a major international title. Against the Czech Republic, Germany took the 1-0 lead when Marcel Risse (17. minute) scored from 25 meters out. Tomas Necid (24.) tied the game with a strong header, his fourth goal of the tournament. The score remained tied until the last minute of extra-time, when Sukuta-Pasu, a talented young forward from Bayer Leverkusen, scored with a shot from the top of the penalty box.
Sukuta-Pasu had started the game on the bench, since he had to nurse a minor injury received during the group stage. “It was great to return from the injury and that I was able to contribute. We had to invest much energy tonight, but now we want to beat Italy and win the championship.”
“Both teams played great tonight, it really was a close call”, said DFB Technical Director Matthias Sammer. “We were able to play creatively on both ends of the pitch, so I think we deserved the win. But creativety does not win games in the 119th minute, it is effort and a fighting spirit. Reaching the final is another milestone on our course, now we need to win.”
The German line-up: Zieler – Diekmeier, Jungwirth, Reinartz, Kopplin – Risse, L. Bender, S. Bender (97. Latza), Nsereko – Naki (65. Sukuta-Pasu), Gebhart (107. Vrancic).
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A late goal by Richard Sukuta-Pasu decided the semifinal of the UEFA under 19 Championships between Germany and host-nation Czech Republic. The DFB-team clinched a dramatic 2-1 (1-0, 0-0) win and moves on to the European final on Saturday.
Italy defeated Hungary 1-0 (0-0) in the first semifinal, so that Germany and Italy meet in the European final on Saturday at Jablonec (7 P.M., live on Eurosport).
"My team deserved to win this game", said Germany’s coach Horst Hrubesch, whose header won Germany the European Championship in 1980. "We were able to control the game. Now we have to regroup and refill the energy tanks, so that we can give Italy just as good a fight as tonight."
Since 1992, when the U 17 won the European Championships, no German juniors team has won a major international title. Against the Czech Republic, Germany took the 1-0 lead when Marcel Risse (17. minute) scored from 25 meters out. Tomas Necid (24.) tied the game with a strong header, his fourth goal of the tournament. The score remained tied until the last minute of extra-time, when Sukuta-Pasu, a talented young forward from Bayer Leverkusen, scored with a shot from the top of the penalty box.
Sukuta-Pasu had started the game on the bench, since he had to nurse a minor injury received during the group stage. “It was great to return from the injury and that I was able to contribute. We had to invest much energy tonight, but now we want to beat Italy and win the championship.”
“Both teams played great tonight, it really was a close call”, said DFB Technical Director Matthias Sammer. “We were able to play creatively on both ends of the pitch, so I think we deserved the win. But creativety does not win games in the 119th minute, it is effort and a fighting spirit. Reaching the final is another milestone on our course, now we need to win.”
The German line-up: Zieler – Diekmeier, Jungwirth, Reinartz, Kopplin – Risse, L. Bender, S. Bender (97. Latza), Nsereko – Naki (65. Sukuta-Pasu), Gebhart (107. Vrancic).
