Germany booked their place in the UEFA European under-17 Championship final with France, following their 1-0 win over Russia. Janni-Luca Serra's header was enough to secure their passage through in a hotly-contested affair.
The opening exchanges were limited in action. Russia were hurrying their opponents in possession at every opportunity, refusing to let Germany settle on the ball or play out from the back. This, of course, came with a set of risks and Dmitri Pletnev was booked for a rash challenge on Görkem Saglam.
It was Salih Özcan who had the game's first real chance. The 1. FC Köln youngster took a terrible touch that inadvertently set him up for an incredible half-volley effort. What looked hopeful at best smashed the top of the crossbar from twenty yards; the first signal of intent from either side.
Constantin Frommann was called into action on the half-hour mark, palming away Pletnev's powerful drive. Germany hadn't conceded a goal in the competition so far and he was a major reason why. Göhkan Gül very nearly sent Christian Wück's men in with a half-time lead, only to see his excellent header cannon back off the post.
The Germans came out fighting in the second half and almost broke the deadlock within minutes of the restart. Felix Passlack had his initial shot blocked, before Janni-Luca Serra had his effort blocked. Russia responded immediately, with Ivan Galanin forcing a good save from Frommann.
Both teams continued to trade chances. Serra, Dzenis Burnic and Pletnev all had opportunities to break the deadlock, though none could convert from close range. The game then started to turn into a stop-start affair with plenty of fouls disrupting play.
Passlack then got the seemingly golden chance with time ticking away. Niklas Schmidt fed him through, though Aleksandr Maksimenko made a quite impeccable save from the Borussia Dortmund man.
However, his team-mate was soon on hand to make sure that miss meant very little. A quick breakaway from a Russian corner found Enes Aykol on the left flank, who played in the perfect ball for Serra to rise up and head home. A fantastically well-placed header, which left Maksimenko rooted to the spot.
The final whistle went and the Germans were able to celebrate a deserved win on the balance of play. Russia played very well, although they just didn't trouble Frommann and his defence enough. Wück's men meet France in the final, which should be a classic tie.