EUROPEAN UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL/Germany 4 England 0:STUART PEARCE'S England Under-21s were crushed in Malmo last night on a familiar evening that featured a goalkeeping error and a ruthless German victory. Mesut Ozil's long-range free-kick embarrassed stand-in goalkeeper Scott Loach but England were already trailing to Gonzalo Castro's opener at Swedbank Stadion.
Sandro Wagner then added two late goals to continue Pearce’s jinx against Germany, after losing to them twice as a player in major tournaments. Pearce had Gabriel Agbonlahor and Fraizer Campbell suspended, meaning Theo Walcott was the lone striker and had no support. Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer did not make a save throughout the one-sided match.
Pearce also had Joe Hart suspended, so Loach started in goal, and his first real action saw him picking the ball out of the net. Ozil played a ball between Martin Cranie and Loach for Castro, who stabbed the ball over Loach and in.
England had hoped to unleash Walcott’s pace but it proved difficult. He did get an early sighter when Fabrice Muamba started a counter-attack with an intelligent pass, then James Milner played the ball through — but Walcott sliced his finish wide. That was as close as it got for England in the first half, then three minutes after the restart Germany grabbed their second. Michael Mancienne, on for Nedum Onuoha, fouled Wagner 35 yards from goal and Ozil took charge of the set-piece.
The Werder Bremen playmaker was helped by England’s wall falling apart and Loach could not handle the swerving effort, falling too far to his right before getting a palm on the ball and helping it in.
Lee Cattermole skimmed the bar from distance, then Milner left Boenisch on his backside before pulling the ball back for Adam Johnson, whose finish was cleared off the line by Andreas Beck.
Cattermole had an effort cleared off the line but Germany extended their lead with 11 minutes remaining. Ozil nicked the ball in midfield before marauding forward and releasing Wagner, who finished through Loach’s legs.
Wagner then added the fourth, in the 84th minute, curling into the far corner.
GERMANY: Neuer, Beck, Howedes, Boateng, Boenisch, Hummels (Aogo 83), Johnson (Schwaab 68), Castro, Khedira, Ozil (Schmelzer 89), Wagner. Subs Not Used: Fromlowitz, Ebert, Marin, Grote, Adlung, Ben-Hatira, Ede, Sippel. Booked: Boenisch, Wagner.
ENGLAND: Loach, Cranie (Gardner 80), Richards, Onuoha (Mancienne 46), Gibbs, Cattermole, Muamba (Rodwell 77), Noble, Milner, Walcott, Johnson. Subs Not Used: Lewis, Taylor, Stearman, Tomkins, Driver, Rose.
Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Holland).
