England wins Euro U21 Championship title

England won their first Euro U21 Championship title in almost four decades by beating Spain 1-0 in the final played last night.

The Young Lions lifted their first title since 1984 after winning the tournament without conceding a single goal.

The match at the Batumi Stadium in Georgia was a very tense affair that did not see many clear-cut chances for either side of the youngsters.

The only goal of the game came in very scrappy circumstances at the very end of the first half. In the 49th minute, Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones was credited with turning in a free-kick that had been floated into the box.

Seven yellow cards were handed out, and England coaching staff member Ashley Cole was sent off after England scored following a brawl that broke out on the side of the pitch.

There were opportunities for Spain to get back into the game, with Abel Ruiz looking like a real danger at many opportunities.

The likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Gordon were very important for England throughout the match.

The match had a dramatic end after Spain were awarded a penalty following a VAR review, thanks to a foul from Levi Colwill.

However, James Trafford, who is set to join Burnley from Manchester City in a deal that could be worth up to £19m, kept out Abel Ruiz’s low spot-kick in the 99th minute.

The 20-year-old then produced another brilliant stop on the follow-up before being mobbed by his team-mates.

The win meant Lee Carsley’s talented side are the third England team to win a Euro U21 Championship title. They picked up the trophy in 1982 and 1984.

They are also the first team to record six successive clean sheets in the tournament’s history.