Spain spot-on for third
Spain u17 1-1 Germany u17
(Spain win 3-2 on penalties)
May 14 2006
By Andrew Haigh, Stade John Grun, Mondorf Les Bains
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Spain claimed third-place in the championships
after they won a dramatic match against Germany on penalties.
Bojan Krkic was once again the secondhalf star as they continued their incredible run of success in the competition.
With both managers deciding to give their first choice stars a rest, it was down to the nation's second string
to see which could achieve third place in the competition.
Germany lined up with a 3-5-2 formation to accommodate the changes with Danny Latza playing a holding role in midfield.
Spain, on the other hand, changed to a more defensive 4-5-1 formation with strike duo Aaron Niguez and the injured
Emilio Nsue missing from the match squad.
Despite the many to the line-ups, Spain had regular central midfield pair Ignacio Camacho and Marcos Gullon at
the heart of the team.
The first ten minutes of the match were a constant midfield battle and neither team had a shot as both sides tried
to work out their opposition's style of play.
As series of unnecessary bookings for either side on 15 minutes resulted in the first opportunity of the match
for Germany but Sven Bender could not make the most of a well delivered free kick as he headed over from 8 yards.
A minute later, striker Sebastian Huke had an even better chance but when through on goal, he blazed a half volley
high and wide of Jesus Coca's goal.
With their more attacking formation, the Germans looked the most threatening of the two sides but without the likes
of Marko Marin and Manuel Fischer they lacked creativity up front.
The Spanish had the creativi
Huke again caused the Spanish problems down the right channel but struck the ball straight at onrushing keeper
Coca when through on goal for the second time in fifteen minutes.
The best chance came against the run of play when Jose Hermosa, who had made a number of substitute appearances
through the championships, missed blazed over when on-on-one with the keeper.
Jose Baena who had received the ball in midfield, controlled well on his chest and thigh before sending a through
ball on the volley.
Hermosa ran on, with no German defender in close range and with all the time in the world shot over by a couple
of yards from just inside the area.
Mario Vrancic was acting as Germany's playmaker in the centre of midfield, and it was his through ball, once again
down the right channel, that found Christopher Schorch, who shot wide from the corner of the six yard box on 35
minutes.
Just before the break, Baena was booked as he brought a German attack to an illegal end. The resulting free-kick
was taken by stand-in captain David Vrzogic but his low effort was wide and left.
There was still an opportunity for the Germans to have two more efforts in the one minute of extra time.
Firstly, Raphael Lorenz broke through the Spanish defence and went one-on-one with Coca who saved smartly, before
Lorenz retained the ball and shot over the bar.
Seconds later, Vrzogic broke down the left hand side and went past right-back Manuel Castellano to put a low cross
to the near post but Huke's weak first time shot was scuffed off target.
The German's late enslaught would have given them confidence at the break with the introduction of Marin and Fischer
for Lorenz and Huke, their hopes for a second half winner would have been boosted.
However, German coach Bernd Stober would have been worried at the sight of 15-year-old Bojan Krkic as a second
half sub for Hermosa.
The inspirational Krkic made an immediate impact. Firstly he beat four players in a run into the box before a minute
later he chipped over as he found a sight at goal from 20-yards.
But Germany hit back with a chance of their own as 11 played through 15 with a defence splitting pass on for 15
to take one too many touches before his shot was blocked.
The half time changes and the two clear-cut efforts inside the first three minutes of the second half brought the
game into life and it wasn't long before another had time sub, Fischer created another chance.
His ability to hold off defenders lead to a cross from the left edge of the penalty area which fell to Christopher
Schorch, who had ventured up from right-back. His volley was weak though as he was under pressure from Spanish
left back Ramon Soria.
Schorch's defensive team-mate then should have put the Germans ahead as he received the ball at the back post from
a corner he struck his shot straight at the Spanish keeper.
He was made to pay for the miss, when with 13 minutes played in the second half Krkic struck his fifth of the tournament.
After winning a free-kick in midfield, the striker made an intelligent run which the sleeping German defence failed
to spot.
When one of his team-mates took the set piece quickly he was able to glide through the back four to become one-on-one
with Sascha Burchert. The Spaniard coolly slotted into the centre of goal past the keeper, who had already made
his move the left.
Five minutes after the goal the Germans pressed and Marin struck a tame shot which was easily saved by the keeper.
But just a minute later it was Krkic's chance to shine once more. He pulled to the left flank as Germany attacked
and when the Spanish defence won the ball, Cesar Ortiz found Krkic with a sumptuous 60 yard pass.
Krkic beat two retreating defenders before his shot rebounded back of the right upright.
The game was becoming open as the Germans pushed for an equaliser and they managed to force a corner on 66 minutes.
Sub Toni Kroos' dangerous ball was headed onto the bar by Mattias Wittek.
The race for top-scorer then was level as Fischer produced a typically strong finish. He picked the ball up on
the edge of the area before he found the bottom left of Coca's goal.
Ficher had a chance to give the German's the lead on 74 minutes after a tricky run and thorugh ball found the Stuttgart
striker on the edge of the box.
With a sight at goal he struck but his effort was off target.
The became very open as both sides searched for the winner and after Krkic again caused trouble in the defence,
Marko Marin found space when he pick the ball up from a short corner.
His chip for Fischer to head on struck the post and rebounded into the centre fo the area, but the referee's assistant
had raised his flag as the striker was offside.
With less than a minute remaining Krkic had two clear chances to really make a name for himself.
First, a typical run resulted in a free-kick which the Spaniard took himself but his effort was narrowly over the
bar.
His second was the result of a fantastic through ball by sub Guillem Savall, who while looking in the opposite
direction played in Krkic.
The young striker shot across goal but it was inches wide of the left upright.
The game went into extra time, a result that neither coach would have wanted for their young stars but an added
bonus for the crowd who had packed into the Stade John Grun.
Krkic was again the threat for Spain as they had a penalty shout denied by referee Alexy Kulbakov.
As keeper Burchart came out of his net to challenge Krkic with four minutes of extra time played, he took the legs
of the Spanish frontman. But Kulbakov judged that the keeper had taken enough of the ball to class it as a genuine
attempt save the ball.
The Spanish protested furiously but the referee's decision although controversial stood.
Half time in extra time came with Spain having the better of the possession and chances but a German win could
never have been ruled out with their exceptional talent.
Spain's dominace continued at the beginning of the second period and Krkic was yet again the threat as he headed
a Jose Baena cross straight at Burchert.
In an incredible minute of action half way through the second period, Krkic had two efforts, one saved and another
shot over which were sandwiched between a Timo Gebhart effort, which was paried by Coca.
Just two minutes later Mario Vrancic struck the right post with a terrific curling free kick from the edge of the
area.
A game that had began so lacklustre quickly became a classic but after 100 minutes the match was still level and
had to be decided with penalties.
First up for Germany was sub Marko Marin who tucked into the bottom left.
Then Savall placed his shot into the same spot with the keeper going the wrong way.
Vrancic and Baena both scored into the opposite corner before Fischer, so prolific in the tournament had his effort
saved.
But when Cesar Ortiz struck his shot at the german keeper the scores remained level.
A fantastic save by Coca to tip onto the post denied Schorch before the advantage was taken when Krkic confidently
shot home.
Toni Kroos missed his spot kick to give the Spanish the victory.
Attendance: 1150
Teams:
Spain: Jesus Coca, Manuel Castellano, Ramon Soria, Pedro Alcala, Ignacio Camacho, Cesar Azpilcueta(c), Marcos Gullon
(Guillem Savall, 72), Cesar Ortiz, Ruben Ramos, Jose Baena, Jose M. Hermosa (Bojan Krkic, 40).
Subs: Sergio Asenjo, Cristian Vergara,
Germany: Sascha Burchert, David Vrzogic (c), Christopher Schorch, Sven Bender (Toni Kroos, 58), Timo Gebhart, Stefan
Reinartz, Mattias Wittek, Danny Latza, Mario Vrancic, Sebastian Huke (Manuel Fisher, 40), Raphael Lorenz (Marko
Marin, 40).
Subs: Ron-Robert Zieler, Bjorn Kopplin, Florian Jungwirth, Lars Bender. |
