U21 European Championship 2015 Results: Thursday Scores and Saturday Schedule
Sweden shocked Italy with a 2-1 win on Thursday to take an early lead in Group B of the 2015 Under-21 European Championship. They were joined by Portugal at the top of the standings after the latter beat England, 1-0.
The Swedes were always regarded as dark-horse candidates in Group B but showed their resilient nature against the Azzurrini. Facing an early deficit and playing the bulk of the match with 10 men, they clawed their way back and managed to grab the win.
Portugal and England served up an entertaining match, but the Portuguese always looked a little more dangerous and deservedly grabbed the win through Joao Mario.
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Here's a look at Saturday's Group A matches:
| 5 p.m. | Serbia | v | Czech Republic |
| 7:45 p.m. | Germany | v | Denmark |
Italy 1-2 Sweden
Sweden continue to surprise fans and pundits alike, starting their Group B campaign with a 2-1 win over Italy in an incident-filled match. Isaac Kiese Thelin scored the winner from the penalty spot, and both Alexander Milosevic and Stefano Sturaro saw straight red cards.
Milosevic gave the Italians an early penalty when he clumsily tackled Andrea Belotti inside the box. The official judged him to be the last man, brandishing the first red card of the match.
Just Football thought it was clear to see that the defender was lacking in match rhythm:
Domenico Berardi converted from the penalty spot, sending Patrik Carlgren the wrong way. The Azzurrini controlled possession for the rest of the first half, but with few chances on offer, it was rather a dull affair.
The match needed a Swedish goal to gain some steam, and John Guidetti delivered early in the second half against the run of play. Sweden then started growing into the match, and their efforts to win were aided when Sturaro lost his cool late in the match.
Mikael Ishak shot the ball straight at Sturaro, who was lying on the floor after being fouled, and the Juventus midfielder reacted by putting his hands on Ishak's face and shoving him to the ground.
FourFourTwo's Adam Digby was shocked by Sturaro's reaction:
The official ignored Ishak's transgression but gave Sturaro a straight red, a decision that would come back to haunt the Italians, as minutes later, Francesco Bardi brought down Ishak in the box to hand Sweden a penalty and the win.
Italy manager Gigi Di Biagio came to the defence of Sturaro, claiming the latter normally doesn't react that way, via Football Italia:
Regardless, this is a poor start to the tournament for the Italians, who will now have to grab results against both England and Portugal. Sweden's chances of qualifying for the next round appear solid, and they can book their ticket to the semi-finals with a win over England on Sunday.
England 0-1 Portugal
Joao Mario scored the only goal in Portugal's 1-0 win over England, latching onto a loose ball early in the second half. Both teams deserve a ton of credit for giving the fans a fantastic night of football, but Portugal always appeared a step faster than their opponents and deservedly won.
Before the start of the match, England were hit with some bad news, as star striker Saido Berahino suffered an injury that would keep him out of the squad, according to BBC Sport's Ben Smith.
The first half was an exciting affair with plenty of chances for both sides, but Harry Kane and Nathaniel Chalobah failed to capitalise whenever they got space. Despite a ton of action, the score was 0-0 at half-time.
Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe was enjoying himself:
Fans were treated to a similar spectacle early in the second half, and while England had the upper hand, Portugal opened the score. Bernardo Silva aimed a shot at the post, and Mario did well to follow up the blast and prod home from close range.
England didn't defend very well during the sequence, via the Daily Telegraph's Henry Winter:
The Three Lions went looking for an equaliser, but Portugal did an excellent job shutting down spaces through the centre. Kane had an excellent chance to open his tally with 10 minutes left on the clock but aimed his shot right at goalkeeper Jose Sa.
Portugal were fully in charge throughout the second half, with Silva in particular standing out. The young midfielder was impressive pulling the strings in midfield, and if he can keep up this level of play, Portugal could be dark-horse contenders for the title.
Tighe didn't understand why so many people voiced their displeasure with the English side on social media:
Portugal are off to a dream start at the 2015 Under-21 European Championship and will have the chance to advance to the next round with a win over Italy on Sunday. With Sturaro unavailable to the Azzurrini because of his suspension, Silva should have plenty of space to work with in midfield, giving the Iberians a big advantage heading into the match.
