Germany shock favourites Spain to win Euro Under-21 title
Soccer Football - Germany v Spain - UEFA Euro U21 Championships Final - Cracovia Stadium, Krakow, Poland - 30 June 2017. Germany's players celebrate after winning the cup. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
KRAKOW, Poland (Reuters) - Germany stunned title favourites Spain 1-0 with a looping first-half header from Mitchell Weiser to win the European Under-21 championship on Friday and earn their second title.
Germany blunted the sharpest attack at the finals, centred around the tournament top scorer Saul Niquez whose Spain side were bidding for a record-equalling fifth Euro crown.
Germany's Max Meyer headed against the post after seven minutes with the first of several chances in a dominant first half as Spain were taken by surprise.
Soccer Football - Germany v Spain - UEFA Euro U21 Championships Final - Cracovia Stadium, Krakow, Poland - 30 June 2017. Germany's team members celebrate after winning the cup. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
Serge Gnabry also twice came close for the Germans before Weiser's clever header from Jeremy Toljan's cross in the 40th minute sailed over keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and into the net.
Spain threatened only once in the first half, with a Hector Bellerin header, but increased the pressure after the break.
Saul forced an outstanding save from Germany's Julian Pollersbeck on the hour and Dani Ceballos fired narrowly wide as they went in search of an equaliser.
Soccer Football - Germany v Spain - UEFA Euro U21 Championships Final - Cracovia Stadium, Krakow, Poland - 30 June 2017. Germany's players celebrate after winning the match as Spain's players react. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
But Germany, with several players confirming their status as potential contenders for next year's World Cup squad, held on to add another Euro Under-21 trophy to their 2009 triumph.
Germany's senior team, the world champions, face Chile in the Confederations Cup final in Russia on Sunday.
Soccer Football - Germany v Spain - UEFA Euro U21 Championships Final - Cracovia Stadium, Krakow, Poland - 30 June 2017. Germany's players celebrate after winning the match. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Soccer Football - Germany v Spain - UEFA Euro U21 Championships Final - Cracovia Stadium, Krakow, Poland - 30 June 2017. Spain's players react after the match. REUTERS/Andrzej IwanczukSoccer Football - Germany v Spain - UEFA Euro U21 Championships Final - Cracovia Stadium, Krakow, Poland - 30 June 2017. Germany's Mitchell Weiser in action with Spain's Marco Asensio and Dani Ceballos. REUTERS/Andrzej IwanczukSoccer Football - Germany v Spain - UEFA Euro U21 Championships Final - Cracovia Stadium, Krakow, Poland - 30 June 2017. Spain's goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga looks at the ball in the net after Germany's Mitchell Weiser scored. REUTERS/Andrzej IwanczukSoccer Football - Germany v Spain - UEFA Euro U21 Championships Final - Cracovia Stadium, Krakow, Poland - 30 June 2017. Spain's Marcos Llorente and Germany's Mitchell Weiser in action. REUTERS/Andrzej IwanczukSoccer Football - Germany v Spain - UEFA Euro U21 Championships Final - Cracovia Stadium, Krakow, Poland - 30 June 2017. Germany's Mitchell Weiser and Spain's Dani Ceballos in action. REUTERS/Kacper PempelSoccer Football - Germany v Spain - UEFA Euro U21 Championships Final - Cracovia Stadium, Krakow, Poland - 30 June 2017. Germany's Mitchell Weiser celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal. REUTERS/Andrzej Iwanczuk
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