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European U21 Championship 2017: Semi-Finals Schedule and Qualified Teams
June 24, 2017
The 2017 European Under-21 Championship has reached the last four, as England, Germany, Spain and Italy fight for a place in the final.
Both semi-finals take place on Tuesday, as England play Germany and Spain battle Italy.
Germany claimed the final spot after progressing as the best second-placed team.
Here is the confirmed schedule:
- Tuesday, June 27 (6 p.m. BST/ 1 p.m. ET) - England vs. Germany
- Tuesday, June 27 (9 p.m. BST/ 4 p.m. ET) - Spain vs. Italy
Semi-Final Preview
England were impressive as they topped Group A, scoring five times as the grabbed seven points.
The Young Lions roared past Slovakia, Sweden and Poland, claiming a last-four berth without many problems.
They will now meet Germany who were defeated by Italy in the last group match, forcing them into a runner-up spot.
The German defence has been their core strength, but they conceded their first goal of the competition in their 1-0 defeat to Italy.
The Italians played a solid match to win their group, but the Germans were strangely subdued during the encounter.
All three semi-finalists have shown grit and determination during the tournament, but one side has truly excelled.
Spain were certainly the best team in the group stages, backed with talent from La Liga and the Premier League.
The Spanish side struck nine times as they eliminated Portugal, Serbia and Macedonia.
The form of Saul, Marco Asensio and Gerard Deulofeu has lit up the competition, and the three have proved themselves to be on the brink of becoming world stars.
Saul was outstanding in the Atletico Madrid side last term, featuring 45 times in La Liga and Europe, according to WhoScored.com.
Asensio's hat-trick against Macedonia was a key moment for Spain, with the Real Madrid player marauding forward and hitting the target with ease.
Spain will be many fans' favourite to scoop silverware but England have proved they are a more rounded unit than in previous incarnations.
Germany and Italy always have a chance in the latter stages of international competition, but both teams looked short of the quality provided by the other last-four teams.
Raul and Asensio are the two best players left in the tournament, and they are likely to lead their country to expected success in the final.