Portugal vs. Sweden: Winners and Losers from 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Final
Sweden have been crowned kings of Europe after beating Portugal in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship final, succeeding on penalties after a 0-0 stalemate over 120 minutes.
Os Seleccao dominated the first 70 minutes but couldn't find a way through their opponents' rock-solid defensive lines, then tired and allowed the Nordic outfit to take control of the latter stages.
Some heroic blocking by Paulo Oliveira and Tiago Ilori forced spot-kicks, but the Swedes prevailed 4-3 after William Carvalho missed the deciding penalty.
Here, Bleacher Report picks its winners and losers from the enthralling finale.
Winner: Full-Back Play
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The European Under-21 Championship final may have been a little light on goals, but viewers were treated to a luxury of full-back play from both sides.
Raphael Guerreiro, the much-lauded talent from FC Lorient, had by far his best game on the left, marauding forward and creating overloads and chances. Ricardo Esgaio was a penetrative threat on the opposite flank. Sweden's Ludwig Augustinsson performed superbly at both ends of the pitch. And Victor Lindelof dealt with Portugal's obscure running patterns as best he could.
The tournament had lacked strong full-back play—particularly on the left—but it appears it was waiting to cram it all in at the end.
Loser: William Carvalho, Portugal
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Temper this selection a little, as the following remain true: 1) William Carvalho was one of the best, if not the best performer at the Under-21 Championships this summer, and 2) it's commendable that he had the fortitude to step up and take the fifth penalty in the shootout.
But missing said penalty, consequently condemning Portugal to second place in the tournament, summed up a night of severe deterioration for the young midfielder. His energy drained rapidly from about 70 minutes onward, and he barely survived extra time.
Usually a dominant, unbeatable physical force, he faded alarmingly, with his passing strokes quickly becoming lazy and his forward motion stopping indefinitely. A really tough end to the competition for such a superb player.
Winner: Quality of the Penalties
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Those who enjoy penalty shootouts were served up a treat in the final on Tuesday, with Portugal and Sweden providing a lesson in how to direct spot-kicks.
Aside from the three misses (obviously), the other seven kicks were dispatched with consummate ease, with most players able to find the top corner or the roof of the net. Toze's hit the bar and bounced down over the line, leaving Patrik Carlgren no chance, while Ludwig Augustinsson guided his into the top right with remarkable precision and prowess.
The quality of shootouts, on the whole, is rising rapidly across the world—likely thanks in part to people finally shelving Johan Cruyff's "it's a lottery" beliefs.
Loser: Ivan Cavaleiro, Portugal
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Portugal have shown the ability to dominate in midfield throughout this tournament, but there have been consistent questions raised about the forward line. Rui Jorge's unorthodox 4-4-2 diamond houses two wide forwards/wingers as strikers, and they don't always provide the cutting edge required.
These issues were remarkably apparent during the final, as despite Os Seleccao's dominance on the ball in the first half, very few—if any—clear-cut chances were made. Chief culprit was Ivan Cavaleiro, the left-sided forward who was caught offside five times in one half.
Press Assocation's Simon Peach joked that Jorge would have to re-teach his forward the rules of the game at half-time, and he didn't last long into the second period before being hooked.
Hardly the ideal lasting impression.
Winner: Hakan Ericson, Sweden Manager
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Sweden are a team through and through; they did not win the Under-21 Championship thanks to a few star players or a dose of divine intervention.
If there is a star to pick out, it's not on the playing staff: Hakan Ericson, the manager, should take an immense amount of credit for what he's been able to rustle up this summer in the Czech Republic.
The 4-4-2, hardworking approach Sweden took is a tournament-viable one—suspect over the course of a long season but perfect in short, sharper spells if you've got the personnel to pull it off. Ericson had every single man on the roster believing they could pull off the upset and trusting in the system, breathing life into a wonderful story that won't soon be forgotten.
"Who thought Sweden could win? We believed from Day 1. We ran further than any other team," John Guidetti said after the game, according to UEFA's Twitter account.
Every player knew their role, no player was too big to put in the hard yards and the partnerships formed carried them to victory. Every positive mini ball was set rolling by Ericson, who has achieved what many would suggest was the unthinkable 15 days ago.
