Miracles do happen. England have won a shoot-out – the first since Euro 96. England have reached a final – the first for the Under-21s since 1984. Crack open the bubbly, organise the street parties and pass the smelling salts.
On an extraordinary evening here at Gamla Ullevi, Stuart Pearce’s boys of summer defied history and the nation’s phobia of the penalty to qualify for Monday’s climax of the Uefa Under-21 Championship in Malmo, where they will face Germany, who defeated Italy 1-0 in yesterday’s other semi-final. “It is now down to who has the guts to win it,’’ said Pearce. The final will probably go to penalties as well.
Ever since bowing out of the last tournament on penalties at the semi-final stage two years ago, Pearce has had his players practising their penalty technique. Only James Milner missed here, slipping while taking England’s first.
As Milner’s kick rose over the bar, English hearts fell but Joe Hart stood firm, saving from the previously prolific Marcus Berg. A confident lad, the keeper took even more responsibility, taking the next penalty which he drilled with minimal fuss into the net. Emboldened, Lee Cattermole, Adam Johnson, Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs all kept their nerve from 12 yards. Practice does make perfect after all.
On an extraordinary evening here at Gamla Ullevi, Stuart Pearce’s boys of summer defied history and the nation’s phobia of the penalty to qualify for Monday’s climax of the Uefa Under-21 Championship in Malmo, where they will face Germany, who defeated Italy 1-0 in yesterday’s other semi-final. “It is now down to who has the guts to win it,’’ said Pearce. The final will probably go to penalties as well.
Ever since bowing out of the last tournament on penalties at the semi-final stage two years ago, Pearce has had his players practising their penalty technique. Only James Milner missed here, slipping while taking England’s first.
As Milner’s kick rose over the bar, English hearts fell but Joe Hart stood firm, saving from the previously prolific Marcus Berg. A confident lad, the keeper took even more responsibility, taking the next penalty which he drilled with minimal fuss into the net. Emboldened, Lee Cattermole, Adam Johnson, Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs all kept their nerve from 12 yards. Practice does make perfect after all.
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