England Under-21s held their nerve to win a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Sweden securing a place in the final of the European under-21 Championships. This was after throwing away a three-goal lead after only 29 minutes.England will now face their old adversaries, Germany in Monday’s final in Malmo, after they overcame Italy with an Andreas Beck first-half strike.It was all too easy for England in the first half as they went three-nil to the good within half an hour. A goal in the first minute from Martin Cranie, a Nedum Onuoha strike, and an own-goal by Mattias Bjarsmyr had put England in complete control.Sweden left the field at half-time to a chorus of boos from the passionate home support, but they hit back with three goals in the second half. It was shades of Liverpool v AC Milan in Istanbul, but there was no Steven Gerrard in sight, this time it was Marcus Berg who inspired the comeback.
Berg, who topped the goalscorer’s charts coming into the match, increased his tally to seven. His strike-partner, Ola Toivonen, scored the other. All three goals coming in a twelve-minute period midway through the second-half.
After a tense extra-time where England were reduced to ten-men, as substitute Frazier Campbell picked up his second booking, it went to penalties.
The whole stadium held its breath and despite James Milner missing England’s first penalty, the team in white advanced 5-4 after Berg’s effort was saved and Guillermo Molins’ penalty rebounded off of the post.
Stuart Pearce opted to start with the majority of the team which had comprehensively beaten Spain, having rested the players for the last group game against Germany.
Joe Hart regained his place in goal, James Milner returned from suspension and Gabriel Agbonlahor from injury - while Theo Walcott returned to the starting line-up for the first time since England’s first group game with Finland.
It was a perfect start for England as they silenced the home crowd within a minute. A James Milner corner found its way through to right-back Martin Cranie, who shot through a group of players. Walcott left it, and somehow thre ball found its way into the net.
Sweden looked to respond immediately but they couldn’t find a way through England’s solid back-line. Further upfield, the midfield duo of Milner and Noble and the pace of Agbonlahor and Walcott upfront were troubling the hosts.
It was soon 2-0. A James Miner corner, this time from the left, again produced panic in the Sweden defence in the 27th minute. Onuoha had time to take a touch before blasting the ball into the bottom corner.
The third was not too long in coming. Eleven minutes later, Swedish goalkeeper, Johan Dahlin flapped at another Milner corner, and Walcott controlled it on the right. The Arsenal man’s cross was flicked on by Lee Cattermole and Mattias Bjarsmyr, the Sweden captain, turned the ball into his own net.
The Gamla Ullevi fell silent as half-time approached. Sweden had shown so much promise at times during the tournament, yet here they were 3-0 down after only 29 minutes.
The half-time whistle blew but the boos were even louder from the home support, showing how much the Swedes have come to love the competition they are hosting.
The second-half started very much in the same vain. Sweden, however, started to gain control of the match with the quality of Rasmus Elm and Marcus Berg coming to the fore.
It was to be the latter who was to have the most telling contribution on the match. Substitute, Molins, burst down the right and sent in a low cross, which the defence failed to deal with. Berg found space in the box and added to his five-goal tally with a sumptuous half volley into the bottom left corner.
Berg and Toivonen have looked a threat throughout the tournament and the PSV striker soon got in on the act. The blond-haired number seven had a touch of David Beckham about him as he lined up a free-kick on the edge of the box in the 75th minute. He lifted it over the wall and into the top-right corner; Hart had no chance and the game was back on.
The crowd now started to believe and the England players started to look nervous. Needless passes were given away, and six minutes after the second goal, Sweden had their third.
A Gustav Svensson cross from the right eluded Berg in the middle, but Robin Soder, at the back post, flicked it back to the striker, who dispatched a ferocious shot into the net.
The stadium erupted, and with nine minutes to play there only looked like being one winner.
England held on though for the 90 minutes, and the game continued into extra-time. On a very hot day in Gothenburg this was the least either team wanted but a place in the final was at stake so neither team would give up.
Extra-time was a tense affair, with niggly challenges coming in from both sides. Frazier Campbell, the Manchester United striker, had already been booked and he was soon given his marching orders by the Turkish referee for a lunge.
It was now an uphill struggle for England, and Berg almost won it for Sweden. The tournament’s leading goalscorer was inches from claiming his eighth in four games when he rose above the defence to head a Svensson cross against the bar.
But it wasn’t to be, and the game inevitably came down to the cruel affair that is penalty-kicks.
James Milner stepped-up first. As the Yorkshireman placed his standing foot on the ground, it gave way, sending him flat on his back and the ball well over the bar. The Aston villa winger, sat in the ground in disbelief for a minute before trudging back to the half-way line.
Sweden scored their first penalty through Elm and then the England goalkeeper, Hart stepped-up making no mistake. Hart then saved from Berg, of all people, to level the scores.
With four successful kicks for Sweden and five for England, the shoot-out entered sudden-death. Molins had to score to keep the hosts in the tournament. His shot was low but it struck the outside of post. As it dawned on them that they had won the shoot-out 5-4, the England squad rushed from the bench to celebrate with Hart - while an eerie silence descended on the stadium.
The only downside to the epic game is the bookings of Agbonlahor in the first half and Hart during the shoot-out, and the sending-off of Campbell - ruling all three out of the final.
The England team would not have been worrying about that last night though as they head back to their team camp in high spirits, knowing they will face their old foes, Germany in what is sure to be an intriguing final.
Photo Credit: Jonny Payne
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England Under-21s held their nerve to win a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Sweden securing a place in the final of the European under-21 Championships. This was after throwing away a three-goal lead after only 29 minutes.