Young Portugal qualified for the semi-final of the European Under-21 Championship on Monday evening. The team of national coach Rui Jorge needed an extension to deal with Young Italy: 5-3. For a long time it looked like the Portuguese would win in regular time, but on the stroke of the final signal, Patrick Cutrone made the equalizer on behalf of the Italians. In the semi-final battle, Young Portugal will meet Young Spain, which defeated Young Croatia earlier in the evening after extra time (2-1).
Even before the seventh minute of play, the Portuguese took the lead. Matteo Lovato touched the ball on a cross from the right, which inadvertently put Dany Mota in position. The striker of the Italian Monza did not hesitate for a moment and worked the 1-0 against the ropes with a bicycle kick. After half an hour of play, Mota was once again the celebrated man. After a corner kick, Daniel Bragança delivered the ball to the striker, who took it and shot it from the turn into the roof of the goal: 2-0. Young Italy showed resilience and found the connection goal just before half time.
– vidfooty (@ vidfooty1) May 31, 2021
A corner by Nicolo Rovella was extended with the head near the first post by Davide Frattesi, who gave Tommaso Pobega the opportunity to shoot in from close range: 2-1. After an hour of play, Young Portugal recovered the advantageous margin of two hits. Fabio Vieira delivered a viewed depth ball to the head at Diogo Queirós. The FC Porto defender then delivered the ball to Gonçalo Ramos, who made it 3-1 with the inside right. Three minutes later, it was Young Italy’s turn again. After a nice combination, Frattesi had an excellent wide pass on Gianluca Scamacca, who slid in at the penalty spot: 3-2.
Young Portugal then seemed to hold their own effortlessly, but they still got the equalizer in the penultimate minute of regular playing time. Riccardo Sottil took advantage of a slipper in the Portuguese defense and found Cutrone, who finished cold-blooded: 3-3. The Italians were able to force an extension, but soon the team of national coach Paolo Nicolato ended up with ten men. Lovato went too fast in the midfield against Mota, after which the defender was sent off the field with his second yellow card. In the second half of the extension, Young Portugal exploited the surplus situation. Substitute Jota got the ball back in the box from Romario Baro after a self-created combination and passed goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi with a diagonal slide: 4-3. The 5-3 was won by Francisco Conceição.
Related
More sports news