European Under 21 Championship, Germany-Italy 3-2: Azzurri lose 9 in extra time

Dunajska Streda (Slovakia), 22 June 2025 - After a lively first half but without any great highlights, Italy e Germany the quarter-finals of the European Under 21 in the second half. Then everything happens, in the true sense of the word. The Azzurrini take the lead with a great right-footed shot from Koleosho, warned and cautioned and therefore without the possibility of playing a semi-final against France which becomes a chimera when the game suddenly changes. Nunziata replaces the temporary match winner and not other cautioned players, including Gnonto, who with a serious naivety gets another yellow. The Germans soon exploit the powerplay with Woltemade from the developments of a corner before the new entrant Weiper complete the comeback with a header from number 10. The very strict one, at least with theItaly, referee Lukjancukas then gives two yellow cards to Zanotti for a very questionable call: the National he is down to nine men and seems out, but at the last second the new arrival Ambrosinus he transforms a great free kick with his right foot that sends the match to extra time. The extra time, in reality, turns out to be another insult within the insult: Rohl in the 117th minute he finds the right joker to take his team forward Germany and delete aItaly generous and unfortunate in everything, especially in the often questionable whistles of Lukjancukas.

The official lineups

  Nunziata choose a 3-4-2-1 open from Planks, protected by Ghilardi, Coppola e Pyrola, with Zanotti e Ruggeri about bands and couples Prati-Ndour in the middle of the field: they are there on the three-quarters Fabbian e Koleosho at the service of Gnonto. Di Salvo reply with a 4-3-3 that he sees between the posts Atubolu, with Collins, Rosenfelder, Arrey-Over e Brown in defense: in midfield they are there Reitz, Martel e Fog, while in attack they act gourde, Trepenny e Woltemade.  

First half

  The first flash is of German brand with the descent of Woltemade, swept away by the Azzurrini after a series of dangerous rebounds on the shot of Martel. The replica of theItaly is entrusted to an initiative of Koleosho, what is needed Ruggeri, whose cross goes towards Zanotti: Collins wins the physical duel. At 4' Trepenny penetrates and pulls: Coppola rejects and then also tries to start the restart, without success. At 6' Fabbian he stands on a ball at midfield height and serves Koleosho, whose right is however a phone call for Atubolu. At 12' Reitz does everything well except the last step, prey to Planks, who shortly after helplessly witnesses the penetration of Woltemade closed by a right foot shot that was too tight. At 18' again Waltemade he makes himself dangerous with a cross that Planks a good hand: the action is closed by an out of proportion suggestion of ReitzThe Azzurrini raise their centre of gravity and start to make themselves seen with crosses Ruggeri on the one hand and Zanotti on the other hand: a corner is created which Coppola, with his head, puts it in the middle for the gloves of Atubolu. At 30' Koleosho, warned and previously cautioned, orchestrates with Gnonto a counterattack ended by an attempt that ended on the outside of the latter's net, with an empty net after a somewhat awkward exit Atubolu on cross by meadows. On the reversal of the front Trepenny he controls the ball well but, at the moment of the shot, he is closed down by the Italian defence, which shortly after sees the shot Collins end up in the stars. Again Gnonto flies towards the German area, which this time closes perfectly. A bit of everything happens: Collins makes a mess and gives the ball to theItaly, which first with Gnonto and then with meadows he misses the right moment to shoot and on the reversal in front Planks he replies with his foot to the attempt to Fog from a tight angle. A corner is awarded, taken by gourde for the high header from close range by Martel. The Germany earns two free kicks in a short time, the second of which is fired high into the air by Fog. In the 42th minute a cross from Ndour it's a little long for Fabbian, while shortly after meadows he takes it upon himself with a razor shot that, deflected, ends up on the bottom, but the shot of Ruggeri, which opens the1' of recovery granted, is low.

Second half

  The first attempt of the second half is a curling shot that goes off target by Koleosho, while shortly after the exchange between Ndour e Fabbian in the heart of the penalty area. At 56' Koleosho serves in depth Gnonto, in a suspicious position: the Italian striker puts everyone in agreement, kicking at Atubolu. The regrets ofItaly they don't last long because at 58' Koleosho, after having cut off the German defense and in particular Collins, leads his team forward with a great right-footed shot that kisses the post and ends up in the net. The response from Germany is entrusted to a cross from 62' Reitz for the head turn of Woltemade who, all alone in the blue area, could have done better. Di Salvo immediately change three gears, inserting Weiper, Knauf e Rohl for Trepenny, gourde e Fog. The Germany, thanks to the changes, raises the centre of gravity and in the 68th minute, from the developments of a corner, the best reflexes are needed Planks on the attempt to Rohl: it's still a corner, and this time Woltemade, on the joke of Reitz and lost by Ndour, he heads the ball past the Italian goalkeeper, who tries a desperate save but is blocked by the1-1. Nunziata he doesn't accept it and immediately takes to the bench: he goes out Koleosho, somewhat surprisingly as it is better than his, and enters Casadei. THE'Italy try to shake it off first with a bang Gnonto, deflected by the German defense, and then with a header from meadows, rejected by good reason Atubolu before the referee Lukjancukas you even whistle a foul against him. The referee becomes the protagonist when at 81' Gnonto, already warned, mows down Rosenfelder: for the Azzurrini, with ten men, the match becomes very complicated. Germany, for his part, immediately tries to exploit the powerplay, but the cross from Reitz it's wrong: the ball becomes good for Woltemade, whose shot is blocked. In the 87th minute the Germans find the advantage when a header from Woltemade on cross by Rohl becomes an assist for Weiper, who doesn't miss with a nice volley. Nunziata he immediately takes cover and inserts pisilli e Ambrosinus for Ndour e Ruggeri, imprecise in defense on the occasion of the Teutonic goal. The Azzurrini immediately earn a free kick, which meadows kicks from the edge finding the German wall: on the counterattack Weiper it leans on Zanotti, instead considered the author of the foul, with the mockery of two yellow cards received in the space of a few seconds.Italy there are nine of them and, at the beginning of the 4' of recovery, takes a big risk on another touch on the fly by Weiper. Missed goal, goal conceded, because at 96' Ambrosinus he transformed a great free kick from the right that gave the Azzurrini extra time, unexpected given how things had turned out, even with the serious handicap of two men less.

Extra time

  The teams return to the field with one substitution each: for the Germany out the injured Rosenfelder It's inside oermann e Tree for Collinswhile inItaly goes down meadows and salt KayodeThe predictable German push was opened by an out of proportion header from Martel: they try then Knauf e Weiper, caught offside, however, while on the barrel of Brown gloves are needed Planks. Nunziata inserts Fazzini for Fabbian e Turicchia for Pyrola. At 103' Reitz opens the right but Planks, with his recall hand, manages to lift the ball over the crossbar. At 107' Kayode he sacrifices himself on the blow of Rohl before Planks complete the disengagement on Woltemade, caught offside. Di Salvo the card is played Men for Martel, but at 117' the joke comes for theItaly when Rohl kick and punch Planks, who does not see the ball go. The minutes of recovery are 3 in which the Azzurrini try once again to throw their heart over the obstacle, in the sea of ​​yellows waved by LukjancukasThis time the miracle fails: theItaly, with his head held high, he abandons the Europeans, in which the advances Germany, who will now face the semi-finals France.