England’s Under-21s have successfully defended their European Championship crown, edging past Germany 3-2 after extra time in a dramatic final in Bratislava.
Just under two years after their 1-0 victory over Spain in Georgia, the Young Lions once again lifted the trophy, echoing the back-to-back titles won by England’s youth in 1982 and 1984.
Lee Carsley’s side showed resilience after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Germany in the group stage only 10 days earlier. This time, England flew out of the blocks, with Harvey Elliott and Omari Hutchinson striking within the opening 25 minutes to establish a 2-0 lead.
Germany, however, refused to fold. Nelson Weiper and Paul Nebel leveled the score just after the hour mark, setting up a tense finish and sending the final into extra time.
But substitute Jonathan Rowe made an instant impact just two minutes after coming on, meeting a superb Tyler Morton cross with a decisive header to clinch a historic win for England and ensure their U21 European Championship legacy continues.
