Unleashing the U21 Football Giants: Quarterfinal Triumph over Italy at Euro 2025
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Youth squad U21 clinches victory following extensive player shuffle - Quarterfinal match versus Italy - Youth Team U21 advances following significant lineup reshuffling - Quarterfinal match against Italy
The triumphant German U21 footballers share their victory smiles and eagerly anticipate their quarterfinal showdown against Italy. As group winners, their impressive run continues following a rotational shake-up and a hard-fought 2:1 victory over reigning champion England (2:0). Ansgar Knauff (3rd minute) and Nelson Weiper (33rd) put grins on Woltemade & Co.'s faces from the bench. A temporary setback from Alex Scott's goal (76th) only briefly dampened their spirits.
"Tonight, we displayed our squad's depth, and that says a lot about our quality. Every player performed powerfully, proving their readiness," Knauff expressed contentedly on Sat.1, continuing, "Now, we're set on reaching the semifinals too." He remained humble about his own goal: "I'm just thrilled to have been able to contribute to the team's win today."
Manager's mega rotation reasoning
Two years ago at the 2023 Euro, Germany succumbed to England in their final loss (0:2). Now, in the 13th European Championship encounter, Germany edged out their competition, securing victory in front of 5,624 spectators in Nitra.
Manager Antonio Di Salvo revamped his entire starting XI after securing quarterfinal qualification. "Initially, I had intended to keep one axis on the pitch. However, following conversations with players expressing fatigue from playing every three days, I reconsidered," Di Salvo explained, detailing the drastic change.
Doubling down on reserves' determination
Yet no mere B-team! The replacements who notched wins against Slovenia (3:0) and Czech Republic (4:2) cemented their chances for a start in the Sunday's knockout contest against Italy, five-time European champions like Spain.
Neither changes nor a brief power outage in the first half frazzled Germany's focused performance during their unblemished group phase with three victories in three games. Against England, a potential elimination for the opposition, Germany began with an auspicious start.
A promising start for the German squad
Through skilful pressing, the ball reached Lukas Ullrich. The Mönchengladbach defender showed remarkable calmness, sending a cross to Knauff. In his 27th U21 international, the Frankfurt Champions League player netted his fourth goal. Di Salvo roared in approval - and enthusiasm remained high for the rest of the match.
England posed a challenge, repeatedly thwarted by Germany's vigilant and tenacious tactics. Jonathan Rowe's shot at the far post promised the English an opportunity before the break (21st). Germany appeared composed, exhibiting maturity over their opponents. A Knauff cross was nodded in by Weiper, despite the pressure of two defenders, creating a 2:0 lead.
Increased Italian pressure in the second half
England reacted fiercely to the restart with three substitutions. Italy, led by Arsenal striker Ethan Nwaneri with a market value of 55 million euros, started the second period more energetically and dynamically compared to their first half performance. The English escalated the pressure, coming close to goals multiple times. However, a comeback akin to the English U19 team's 5:5 draw against Germany the previous day didn't materialize.
The English will square off against Spain in the quarterfinals, like Italy, which has won the title five times in this age group. Before the England match, Di Salvo remarked, "We've put up solid performances. No team wants to face us." After the reserves' victory against their toughest group contender, this sentiment holds even truer.
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ItalyFootball EurosEnglandAnsgar KnauffNitraSloveniaVictorious marchDi SalvoGermanyCzech RepublicSpainGerman Football AssociationAlex ScottSat.1Antonio Di Salvo
- The German U21 football team, with Ansgar Knauff as a key player, looks forward to facing Italy in the quarterfinals of the European Football Championships, after a victorious march through their group that included wins against countries like Slovenia and the Czech Republic.
- The European Football leagues are closely watching the German U21 team's performance in the ongoing Euro Championships, with a special focus on the high-profile quarterfinal match against Italy, especially after Manager Antonio Di Salvo's mega rotation and the impressive displays of the team's depth and quality, as seen in their victory over England.
