Woltemade Strikes Once More as Germany Dominates France to Set Up Final Showdown with England

Germany will take on England in the final of the UEFA U21 European Championships after cruising past France with a 3-0 victory at the Kosická futbalová arena. Worryingly for the Young Lions, the three-time tournament champions remain unbeaten in their last 20 matches (W17, D3).

No strangers to the latter stages of this competition, Germany has now reached the final in three of the last four UEFA Euro U21 tournaments. It didn’t take long for them to make an impact in Košice, as they capitalised on a moment of misfortune for France. After Paul Nebel’s attempt rattled the underside of the crossbar, the alert Nelson Weiper was on hand to volley home from close range into an empty net.

Just six minutes later, the Germans doubled their lead, with tournament top-scorer Nick Woltemade bagging his sixth goal at the second attempt after Guillaume Restes had parried his initial one-on-one effort. Despite facing a tough challenge ahead, France responded positively, with Djaoui Cissé and Wilson Odobert forcing Noah Atubolu into some impressive saves. As the first half drew to a close, France continued to apply pressure, with Matthis Abline’s effort just grazing past the top corner.

To maintain their attacking momentum after the break, France manager Gérald BaticleØ brought on Thierno Barry due to an injury to Abline. Almost immediately, Barry made an impact, forcing a quick save from Atubolu. As the match headed towards the final 20 minutes, France’s frustration grew when Barry’s header from close range was miraculously denied by the inspired Atubolu.

Woltemade had a golden opportunity to seal the match shortly after Atubolu’s fantastic save, but for some reason, he headed wide with no defender nearby. Within a minute, Merlin Röhl had a chance as well, sending a shot directly at Restes, ensuring that the game remained lively. Late in the contest, a series of French corners threatened a thrilling finish, including a screamer from Barry that clattered the post. However, Germany held firm to secure their place in Saturday’s final, with a stoppage-time tap-in from Brajan Gruda, following a squared ball by Paul Wanner, adding a touch of brilliance to their victory.

This final appearance at the UEFA U21 European Championships reignites the classic rivalry between England and Germany in Bratislava. Reflecting on past encounters, Germany won during the group stage (2-1), but the Young Lions have triumphed in their last two meetings, setting the stage for an intriguing showdown in the final. Meanwhile, France will have to wait at least another two years for a chance to reach the final again, extending their dry spell from U21 success to 25 years.