A brilliant brace from Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott sent defending champions England into the final of the European Under-21 Championship with a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands on Wednesday.
The Young Lions are now just one match away from securing back-to-back European titles, a feat last achieved by an England U21 side in 1984. They will face Germany in the final on Saturday in Bratislava.
After a cagey first half played in sweltering heat, where Elliott was twice denied by Dutch goalkeeper Robin Roefs, the deadlock was broken in the 62nd minute. Newcastle United’s Elliot Anderson played a precise pass to Elliott, who rifled a right-footed shot into the net for his third goal of the tournament.
The Netherlands responded ten minutes later when substitute Noah Ohio, with his first touch of the game, capitalised on a defensive error from Charlie Cresswell and curled a superb low strike past England goalkeeper James Beadle from 30 yards out.
With the match heading towards extra time, Elliott once again proved to be the difference-maker. With just five minutes of normal time remaining, he drove forward and drilled a powerful low shot into the bottom right corner from the edge of the penalty area to secure the victory.
The win sets up a tantalizing final against Germany, who defeated England 2-1 in the group stage. Lee Carsley’s side has gained momentum throughout the tournament and will be seeking revenge in Saturday’s showpiece event. Germany advanced to the final after a comprehensive 3-0 victory over France in their semi-final.
While the statistics suggested an evenly matched contest, with both teams sharing possession, England’s clinical finishing and Elliott’s individual quality proved decisive, sending them to a second consecutive European final.
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