The two best sides at the UEFA Under 19 European Championship have, deservedly, reached the final. Germany face Portugal in Budapest, as they aim to cap off a wonderful summer of football. Portugal will be desperate to avenge their senior side's 4-0 defeat in the World Cup and also make up for Cristiano Ronaldo and company's diabolical World Cup.
How they got to the final:
Germany got to the final in a serene fashion, apart from the 2-2 draw with Serbia. A 3-0 win to open their account, against Bulgaria, was a fantastic start. The game showcased the trouble that Marc Stendera and Davie Selke would cause for the opposition in games to come. Then came the draw with Serbia, a game that they really should have lost, turned out to be a morale boosting draw and also showed the character that the young men possessed. Captain Niklas Stark's last minute goal gave Germany parity and kept the unbeaten start going. A final game show down against Ukraine was up next, what could have proved hard on paper turned into a stroll; The German's were rarely troubled and a Selke double sent them through, as group winners, to face neighbours Austria. That, just like the Ukraine game, was won at a canter. Austria seemed nervous and a ruthless performance tore them to shreds.
Portugal have been full of goals this tournament, eleven to be exact. The goal-scoring exploits started with a 3-0 win over Israel; Manchester City's Marcos Lopes played a vital role as his side got off to a great start. After that, followed the demolition of hosts Hungary. A 6-1 win, with André Silva netting four, meant Portugal qualified a game earlier for the semi-finals. A game against Austria decided the fate of Group A; thankfully for the Portuguese, they won a tough game 2-1 and progressed to face Serbia. The Serbian's pushed them every way for ninety minutes, a further thirty followed and the teams still remained level. After an enforced change of goalkeepers, it was substitute 'keeper Tiago Sa who made the winning save, sending Portugal through to the final and ending Serbia's reign as champions.
The managers' reactions:
Germany's Marcus Sorg: "I don't think it was our best performance, but it was a very good performance in a game where we knew we couldn't afford to make any mistakes. I liked the effort we showed from the off; they wanted to score. I'm very pleased with my team's performance – it made me proud."
"We wanted to dominate the game. It was very important we were 2-0 up at half-time; in a knockout game anything can happen, so it was important that we were in control and had that cushion at the interval."
"In a knockout game, anything is possible. If you have a negative moment you have to correct it right away – you don't get a chance. It was important that we started positively and carried that through all the way." (UEFA.com)
Portugal's Hélio Sousa: "It was a great game. The players gave it everything they had left, and we got the result on penalties. I always tell my players it's capability, not luck – it's quality and a strong mentality to win on penalties. We had our chances and so did Serbia, although I think we were a little stronger over the game. Serbia played a great game too and our victory is a little more deserved in that case because they were magnificent too."
"Both teams played to win, they [attacked] and it was down to the goalkeepers that it was 0-0. The game brought us to penalties and we were capable of coming through the penalties. We were strong and our keeper was strong too. Our players deserve our thanks; they struggle and fight all through the youth teams, and they deserve what they've done here."
"The final is going to be a big match and unfortunately it's finished very late tonight. With extra time and penalties we won't have much time to recover physically but the motivation of being in the final is worthwhile. It's a reward for the work the Portuguese Football Federation have done with the Under-19 team, not just this year but in previous years – this is the fourth time in five years we've been in the European Championship finals. Germany will be strong and tough opponents but hopefully we will win – and make history." (UEFA.com)
Key players:
Germany - Selke, Stendera & Stark: The aforementioned trio have out-performed the rest of the Germany team, which says a lot for just how good they've been. Davie Selke is the tournament's top scorer, with six goals, and will be the biggest headache for the Portugal defence. His runs, ball control, dribbling and finishing reminds many of a young Robert Lewandowski. Marc Stendera has been equally as impressive. The Frankfurt man has a wicked delivery from set-pieces and leads the assist charts for the tournament; his dribbling, shooting and final ball are also extremely dangerous. Niklas Stark, of Nuremburg, will be the man charged with stopping André Silva. Comfortable in midfield or defence, his leadership and ability to read the game have been invaluable during the tournament.
Portugal - Lopes & Silva: Portugal's two stars are both in attack. Marcos Lopes is one of the most promising talents coming out of Manchester City's rapidly developing youth system. The attacking midfielder has a fantastic range of passing and an excellent shot on him; despite his diminutive figure he is able to weave his way through opposition defences with lightning quick feet. André Silva scored four on the second matchday and has five for the tournament. His clinical finishing and positioning come naturally, he'll pose Germany's biggest threat of the tournament so far.
Predicted line-ups:
Germany XI: Schntizler; Akpoguma, Kempf, Stark, Holthaus; Kimmich, Öztunalı; Brandt, Stendera, Mukhtar; Selke.
Portugal XI: Sa; Rafa, Riquicho, Duarte, Nunes; Podstawski, Guzzo, Lopes; Martins, Silva, Rodrigues.