DGermany’s U21 footballers shouted their joy in a huge crowd of jubilation around the penalty heroes Finn Dahmen and Paul Jaeckel, coach Stefan Kuntz cheered exuberantly and hugged every player. Thanks to great morale, Germany’s U21 national team has fought its way into the semi-finals of a European Football Championship for the fourth time in a row. The selection of coach Stefan Kuntz came back on Monday evening in a dramatic quarter-final against efficient Danes after a 0-1 deficit in an impressive manner and prevailed 6-5 on penalties. After 120 minutes it was 2: 2 (1: 1, 0: 0). Against the Netherlands, who had previously defeated France 2-1, it is now on Thursday for the third finals in a row.
Fürth’s Paul Jaekel converted the decisive penalty after goalkeeper Finn Dahmen from FSV Mainz 05 parried twice. Lukas Nmecha from RSC Anderlecht (88th) had saved Germany in extra time after falling behind due to the 17-year-old Wahid Faghir (69th). There, the Mainz substitute Jonathan Burkhardt took the lead in the 100th minute, while Victor Nelsson (108th, penalty kick) equalized.
Kuntz can now do the trick of being the first DFB coach to reach the final of a U21 European Championship for the third time in a row. Germany won the title in 2017 and only lost to Spain in the final in 2019.
The DFB team started furiously against the Danes, who had previously been unbeaten for two years, but missed the best chances and had to tremble in the end. Against the Netherlands in Szekesfehervar an improvement must be made. In the group stage, the two teams split 1: 1.
Hardly any time to breathe
In front of 500 spectators, returning Florian Wirtz initially turned out to be the linchpin of the German game. “We have to get Flo with his strengths into play because he’s just a great kicker,” Kuntz said about the 18-year-old before kick-off. The youngest U21 international in history, who was still with the senior team during the group stage, challenged and skillfully distributed the ball.
The DFB team gave the Danes, unbeaten in 15 games, hardly any time to breathe. “We have extremely optimized the processes on the offensive,” said Kuntz after the not always stable appearances in March. The result was a direct passing game, supplemented with quick changes of sides.
While in Denmark the former Dortmund and Hoffenheimer Jacob Bruun Larsen got no sting, Germany pushed for the lead. The Salzburg resident could not use a soulful deposit of Nmecha on Mergim Berisha (20th). Until the break, the Danes slowly got better into the game, but missed their few chances miserably.
The second half began with a moment of shock for the DFB team: Bruun Larsen ran to Finn Dahmen alone after a counterattack, but the Mainz goalkeeper parried brilliantly (49th). However, the German team didn’t really get into the duels, the Danes had more possession and caused Kuntz to frown.
The now more and more hectic game increasingly lived from its tension. Bruun Larsen had to go out injured, Faghir came for him – and scored immediately. The son of Afghan parents, who once fled the Taliban, rounded Pieper and hit the net. Nmecha saved Germany with its third tournament goal in extra time, in which the game swayed back and forth.
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