The tournament's top goal-scorer was just too hot to handle for the German defence.
France U17
Germany U17
FRANCE U17: (4-2-3-1) ZIDANE; GEORGEN, UPAMECANO, DOUCOURE, MAOUASSA; COGNAT (CALLEGARI 69'), MAKENGO; IKONE, BOUTOBBA, REINE ADÉLAÏDE (PELICAN 61'); EDOUARD (SAMBA 80+1').
GERMANY U17: (4-2-3-1) FROMMANN; BUSAM, NESSELER (ÖZCAN 48'), KARAKAS, ABU HANNA; GÜL, JANELT; KÖHLERT (SAGLAM 69'), SCHMIDT (SERRA 50'), PASSLACK; EGGESTEIN.
SCORE: 1-0, EDOUARD 40'. 2-0, EDOUARD 47'. 2-1, ZIDANE OG 50'. 3-1, EDUOARD 70'. 4-1, GÜL 80+3'.
REFEREE: PAWEŁ RACZKOWSKI (POL). BOOKED: REINE ADÉLAÏDE (49'), COGNAT (66'), UPAMECANO (74'), PASSLACK (76'), ÖZCAN (80+4').
An incredible hat-trick from PSG striker Odsonne Edouard was enough to secure a first UEFA European under-17 title since 2004 for France, despite a late siege from a Germany.
France and Jean-Claude Giuntini has stuck named the same starting eleven that were triumphant in the semi-finals against Belgium, where Luca Zidane starred in a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory. Unlike Giutini, Christian Wück continued to alter his squad. This time, making five changes; Erdinc Karakas, Joel Abu Hanna,Johannes Eggestein, Niklas Schmidt and Mats Köhlert came in forEnes Akyol, Görkem Saglam, Janni-Luca Serra, Dzenis Burnic andSalih Özcan.
Felix Passlack had been quiet in the early stages of the knock-out rounds, but was first to try his luck in the final. The Borussia Dortmund starlet's strong effort forced a decent save from Zidane, who darted across to smother the ball. Opposing skipper, Timothé Cognat, had a similarly good opportunity, if not even better, but he shot wildly over from Nanitamo Ikone's excellent run and cut-back.
Ikone's pace was proving a real problem early on and it forcedConstantin Frommann into the first real save of the game. The winger smashed it at goal from close range but the Freiburg stopper able to beat it away, before the defence cleared any remaining danger. Wück's men had thrown caution to the wind early on and Cognat again fired over after Daniel Nesseler had done well to deny Bilal Boutobba.
Frommann then denied the unconvincing Jeff Reine Adélaïde, who could only shoot straight at him. Eggestein issued an immediate response, though his powerful run and effort went narrowly wide of the upright. Schmidt then drove wide from six yards, after good work from his team-mate. Passlack wasted a similarly good opportunity, volleying well over Zidane's goal.
Despite Germany's revival at the end of the half, they couldn't force a way through and France were then finally able to take advantage of their dominance. A fantastic run by Alec Georgen created plenty of space on the edge of the box and he was able to knock the ball back towards Odsonne Edouard. The tournament's top-scorer managed to squeeze it past Frommann, giving France the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Wück's men came out a different animal and Eggestein quickly made Zidane make a less-than-convincing save. Frommann was back action soon after, too, denying Reine Adélaïde twice in quick succession. Though, Eduoard soon had the ball past the helpless German goalkeeper.
The Paris Saint Germain forward only needed two attempts to score both his goals, this one was much more clinical than the last. An attempted pass fell kindly to him on the edge of the box and he slapped it past Frommann at a fierce speed, to pull France two goals ahead.
However, when all looked lost, Germany soon had a goal back. Schmidt's free-kick was met by Eggestein, which forced a fine save from Zidane. The ball spun up in the air and dropped towards the goal and, in a desperate attempt to clear, the goalkeeper clawed the ball over the line.
That turned the game on its head and suddenly the Germans looked like they could find an equaliser. Though, yet again, Frommann was required to make another one-on-one stop from Ikone. Eduoard, unlike his wingers, was able to take advantage of some defensive lapses and coolly finished for his hat-trick. He was set free by Boutobba and nonchalantly chipped over the on-rushing goalkeeper to secure the trophy for France.
As if it couldn't get any worse for the Germans, Gül fell victim to an unfortunate own goal. The ball slid in off his backside after a strong cross, in what was a horrible finish to an otherwise exemplary tournament.
Eduoard's eighth of the tournament and the first ever hat-trick of a European under-17 Championship final was enough to Giuntini's men home as champions. In what was a fantastic tournament, the French were deserved winners and will be excited to see what this generation can do in the future. For Christian Wück and co, they too have shown great promise but were just blown away by a quite incredible France display.
France beats Germany to win U17 European Championships
The best of Germany's U17 pool went down 4-1 to France in Bulgaria. Les Bleus have now won their second title at this age level after winning on home soil in 2004.
Paris-Saint Germain's Odsonne Edouard scored a hat-trick as France beat Germany 4-1 in the final of the U17 European Championships in Bulgaria.
Despite a second-half recovery from Christian Wück's side, Edouard's 70th minute goal capped off an impressive performance from the center-forward who finished as tournament top goalscorer with eight. Gokhan Gül netted at the wrong end in stoppage time to rub salt into Germany's wounds.
The DFB's current crop was eager to walk in the footsteps of Mario Götze and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen who won the competition in 2009. This final pitted the 'best attack vs. the best defense' - in the words of Borussia Dortmund's Felix Passlack - with Wück's side keeping five clean sheets so far.
France's attacking strengths were clear from the first-whistle. Christian Frommann denied Nanitamo Ikone whose gangly running style was a threat on the left-flank.
Meanwhile, Germany's offensive duo of Johannes Eggestein and Niklas Schmidt - both players on the books of Werder Bremen - combined for Germany's strongest chance of the half.
Eggestein outmusculed his opponent before cutting the back for Schmidt whose shot was poorly-weighted and off target. Seconds later, the 17-year-old frontman knocked the ball down to Passlack whose first-time half-volley sailed wide of the target.
Dominant Les Bleus
Germany battled but couldn't take home their fourth championship
But France struck when Germany was cold to end the first period on the front-foot - the cross from right-back Georgen was dummied by Boutobba before PSG's Edouard sweeped home with his right-foot.
Edouard notched his second of the game seven minutes after the restart, a bruising, powerful effort, charging through the heart of the Germany defense and beating Frommann from close range.
But Germany found some hope on 50 minutes when Luca Zidane - the son of Zinedine Zidane - flapped at a header from Eggestein and the ball looped into the corner of the net.
The goal invigorated Germany momentarily until Edouard clipped the ball nonchalantly over Frommann with 10 minutes of the 80-minute-long match remaining.
As Germany pushed for the win, mistakes were inevitable in defense and Gül's own goal was hardly game-changing but left Wück's talented side with a sore loss as France collected the trophy.
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário