So close yet so far. Spain lost with extra-time 1 - 2 against France in the UEFA U-19 European Championships semi-final being held in Lithuania. A double Spanish defensive mistake in the 105th min of extra-time allowed Frenchman Conte to get onto a ball to score what would be the eventual winner.
A shame really for Spain as they were overall the better playing team, but mistakes are paid for dearly at this stage of the tournament. One may argue that Spain was unlucky not to have been called a penalty in the 17th min on Iker Hernandez & that the physical effort of the 90 mins were noted in the extra-time, but there are no real excuses & France are deserved finalists.
The first goal went to Spain in the 26th min with a penalty that Jose Rodriguez scored, but France reacted rapidly to draw with a 28th min goal by Benzia. Spain then dominated most of the match but could not finish off their good play & opportunities. The Spaniards then showed signs of tiredness towards the end of the 90 mins allowing French some chances to score, this was a signal of what was to come.
Then the moment for France arrived in the 105 th min with the Conte goal & winner.
France moves onto the final were they will meet Serbia.
Match details:
1 - SPAIN:
Rubén Blanco, Jaime, Borja, Bellerín, Gayá, Pablo Íñiguez, José Rodríguez (Torró m. 79), Fede Vico, Moi Gómez (Traoré m. 72), Vadillo & Iker Hernández (Sandro m. 61).
2 - FRANCE:
Beunardeau, Ikoko, Conte, Laporte, Moreira; Hunou (Gbamin m. 89), Azouni, Rabiot, Jean (Rodrigues m. 62), Benzia & Martial (Nangis m. 94).
GOALS:
1-0: m.26 José Rodríguez, de penalty. 1-1: m. 28, Benzia. 1-2: m. 105, Conte.
Spain has qualified itself at the Top of the Group for a semi finals berth in the U-19 European Championships being held in Lithuania. The 2 - 3 victory over Holland puts the Spanish U-19 Football Team into their fourth consecutive U-19 Euro semi-final where they will meet France next Monday.
Spain made an excellent comeback to turn things around in the latter part of the second half. It was their worst match in the tournament with a particularly bad first half. However, the boys managed to turn things around as Holland dropped notably in play & form with three straight goals from Spanish players Sandro ( 68th min ) , Vadillo ( 81st min ) & Fede Vico ( 83rd min ).
Match details:
HOLLAND 2 : Van der Hart; Tete, Gravenberch, Kongolo, Woudenberg; Leemans, Ayoub; Basacikoglu, Vloet, Mahi (Chacon 73'); & Achahbar.
SPAIN 3 : Rubén Blanco; Jaime (Fede Vico 38'), Julio, Borja López, Duarte; José Rodríguez (Lucas 75'), Íñiguez; Vadillo, Moi Gómez (Adama 67'), Gayá; & Sandro.
GOALS: 1-0 Leemans min. 36; 1-1 Sandro min. 68; 1-2 Vadillo min. 81; 1-3 Fede Vico min. 83; 2-3 Achahbar, de penalty min. 91.
The Spanish U-19 National Football Team got off to a great start in the UEFA U-19 European Championship being held in Lithuania. Spain played its first group match against Portugal & won 1 - 0 to get the three points.
The winner came in the 19th min thanks to the goal from FC Barcelona youngster Sandro from a pass from Jose Rodriguez. Overall a worked match with a good Portuguese team that had their moments but could not convert. Spain will play the host team Lithuania next Tuesday were a win will put them clear sailing towards a semis berth.
Match details:
SPAIN 1: Rubén Blanco; Bellerín, Jaime, Borja López, Gayá; José Rodríguez, Íñiguez; Fede Vico, Moi Gómez (Álex Serrano 79'), Vadillo (Adama 60'); Sandro (Iker Hernández 83').
PORTUGAL 0: Bruno Varela; Cancelo, Tobías F., Rudinilson, Rafa; Podstawski (Teixeira 79'), Edgar Ié; Hélder Costa (Mané 46'), Bernardo Silva, Marcos Lopes (Horta 64'); & Guedes.
GOAL: 1-0, Sandro, min. 19.
SPAIN keeps up with its winning ways in European Football claiming the U-19 EUROPEAN TITLE after defeating GREECE 1 - 0 in the Final. Extraordinary year for Spanish Football at all levels, with the Female Spanish U-19 team nearly winning their U-19 Final yesterday against Sweden ( lost 0 - 1 extra-time) which would have put the cherry on the cake.
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| Jese for Spain |
Take note of these names as they are the Spanish U-19 starting 11 in the Final:
Kepa, Castro, Grimaldo, Ramalho, Derik, Campaña, Oliver, Suso, Deulofeu,Jesé & Paco Alcácer.
Most already are playing in the top class or are about to get in & many are still around the 16 - 17 year old mark. The MVP of the tournament & the European U-19 Leading goal-scorer with 5 goals is JESE RODRIGUEZ, forward with REAL MADRID ( Castilla, their B - team ).
The match victory was well deserved for Spain as they created chances all match & dominated. Greece was solid in defence all game & very rocky which made Spain work very hard to find the winning goal which came finally in the 80th min when Deulofeu found Jese who scored.
Congratulations to the Spanish U-19 boys, well done!
Marvellous run of wins & achievements for SPANISH FOOTBALL National Teams in all levels. The U-21 Team are the current European Champions, SPAIN won 10 days back the European Nations Cup & this afternoon-night the SPANISH U-19 TEAM won FRANCE 3 ( 4 ) - 3 ( 2 ) in the European semi-final. Spain will meet Greece in the U-19 European Championship Final & attempt to pull off a special string of titles, with the permission of Greece of course which will not be easy to beat.
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| Deulofeu
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The semi - final went right down to the wire, with extra-time & then the dreaded penalty shoot out, with Spain ( Campaña ) missing its first shot. But Spanish goalkeeper KAPA stopped two French shots that allowed FC Barcelona youngster DEULOFEU to score the winner.
Goals:
0 -1 Umtiti ( 24 m )1 -1 Deulofeu ( 61 m)
2 -1 Alcacer ( 78 m )
2 -2 Umtiti (91 m)
EXTRA TIME
3 - 2 Deulofeu
3 - 3 Pogba
Spain wins penalty shoot out 4 - 2 . Spanish player Deulofeu obviously starred y goalie Kapa.
SPANISH FOOTBALL U-19 TEAM has defended BELGIUM 2 - 1 & thus finish on top of their Group to go straight into the up coming EUROPEAN U-19 CHAMPIONSHIPS to be held in Estonia between the 3 rd & 15 th of July.
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| Gerard Deulofeu |
Match details ( line-ups & goalscorers)
Spain 2: 13-Kepa Arrizabalaga, 2-Iván López, 3-Jonathan Castro, 4-Jonás Ramalho, 5- Pablo Insua , 6-José Campaña(c) (67´Jesús Fernández Suso), 8-José Antonio Delgado"Nono" (Saul Ñíguez), 16-Oliver Torres 18- Denis Suárez , 15-Gerard Deulofeu ( 78´Juan Miguel Jiménez "Juanmi"),9-Paco Alcácer.
Begium 1: 1-Salvatore Crimi, 2-Jordan Feltesse, 3-Dino Arslanagic, 4-Jonathan Vervoort, 5-Jordan Lukaku (80´Jonas Heymans), 7- Massimo Bruno, 8- Hannes Van Der Bruggen (c)(66´Dolly Menga), 15-Wannes Van Tricht, 16- Dennis Praet ,18-Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco & 10- Thorgan Hazard.
Goals: (0-1 Gerard Deulofeu 10´); (0-2 Denis Suárez 66´); (1-2 Bruno 86')
