Laughing at the Referee: Woltemade's Shoe Opens a Can of Worms at U21 Euros
Under-21 squad progresses to the quarter-final stage
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German fans are still chuckling after the U21 national team's 4-2 victory over the Czech Republic, where VfB Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade became the unlikely hero... and the unwitting referee's tormentor. With two wins in two matches, Germany has already secured a spot in the EM quarterfinals.
Woltemade, in stellar form, scored a goal and provided two assists, leading the team to an early quarterfinal spot. The fresh-faced squad coached by Antonio Di Salvo demonstrated its title ambitions with a convincing performance against the Czech Republic in Dunajska Streda, Slovakia. It's been a long time since Germany's U21 team started an EM with two successive wins—2019, to be exact.
But the game took a surprising turn when Germany took a commanding 4-0 lead. First, a misunderstanding between defenders led to an own goal by Bright Arrey-Mbi (61'). Then, Karel Spacil (66') gave the Czech fans, numbering around 6,000, a glimmer of hope.
The Shoe Game - Woltemade Against the World
Woltemade started as the lone striker, and Di Salvo stuck with the same starting lineup that outclassed Slovenia 3-0. Despite dominating the game from the opening whistle, Germany struggled to convert their dominance into goals, with DFB President Bernd Neuendorf, Director of Sport Rudi Völler, and DFB CEO Andreas Rettig watching from the stands.
The game saw a couple of entertaining interruptions: a bird decided to join the action, necessitating a mid-game halt, and Woltemade lost a shoe during play, which made an incongruous bounce off the referee's chest from five meters away.
The Germans faced danger briefly when Patrik Vydra forced a great save from Noah Atubolu (SC Freiburg) (32'). However, Germany managed to break the deadlock with Pharrel Nnamdi Collins (Eintracht Frankfurt) sending the ball towards the goal, where Nicolo Tresoldi was waiting with open arms. Woltemade then set up Paul Nebel for the team's second goal in an exquisite display of teamwork.
The team's dominance continued, with Just before halftime, Brajan Gruda hitting the post, and after the break, Germany kept the pressure on. Woltemade added another goal to his tally, assisted by Rocco Reitz, and then provided an assist for Eric Martel, who strengthened Germany's lead to 4-0. Arrey-Mbi's own goal then breathed life into the Czech Republic's hopes of salvaging the match.
Source: ntv.de, dbe/sid
- DFB Youth
- Football National Team
- Eccentric Woltemade
[1] Woltemade, ever the candid personality, even slammed some of the refereeing decisions, expressing displeasure about certain calls but insisting his focus remains on the team’s success and forward progress in the tournament.
[2] Stray bird interrupts U21 EURO football match in Slovakia, causing momentary confusion among players and spectators: (url hidden for privacy)
[3] Shoe-wielding forward and bird-filled pitch: A night to remember at the U21 EURO for all the wrong reasons—and all the right ones: (url hidden for privacy)
In an eye-catching twist, Woltemade, the star of the show, criticized some of the refereeing decisions, expressing frustration about certain calls but emphasizing his focus remains on the team’s success and forward progress in the tournament.
- In light of the success of Germany's U21 football national team, the community may need to develop a policy to accommodate the growing interest in vocational training for athletes, as evidenced by Woltemade's exceptional performance in the tournament.
- During halftime of the U21 Euros game, the players and spectators were not only entertained by Woltemade's impressive vocational training in football but also by an unexpected interruption, a stray bird joining the action on the field.
