One step into the unknown. The generation of Spanish footballers born in 2000, already champions of Europe under-17 and under-19 under the baton of Santi Denia, will seek on Saturday in the final against England to also be crowned in the under-21 category and sign an unprecedented treble. The little red rolled over Ukraine in the semifinals this Wednesday, showing enviable maturity by coming back from an initial goal to end up sealing a win.
Spain tried to dominate right from the start, building plays slowly but surely and being especially ambitious without the ball, pressing very well and blocking the Ukrainian game. It was Sancet, from the midfielder, the one who already inaugurated the chances counter at the aperitif. His heeled shot was deflected by Trubin with problems for a corner. It didn’t take long for Santi Denia’s men to touch the goal again. This time the danger was generated by the little devil Rodri. The bético man leaked a fantastic ball to Álex Baena, who crossed the ball excessively, giving Trubin a good scare, yes.
It was being a magnificent staging that of Spain against a Ukraine that found it too difficult to cross the middle of the field. But with Mudryk, the footballer of 100 million, on the lookout, no one could be trusted. And it is that it was precisely the Chelsea striker who drew the first goal that increased the score with a great play by the band. His center, with some luck, was loose at the penalty spot for Bondarenko to score almost at will.
An immature team would have fallen inert to the canvas, seeing themselves behind on the scoreboard after that great start to the game. But this generation of players is anything but immature and in four minutes they were able to turn the tables in the semifinal and almost headed towards the final. It was his goal man, the same one who has led this team almost since he left the cradle. Abel Ruiz made it 1-1 in a good play, in which he took advantage of Brazhko’s rude mistake on the cut before dribbling past the goalkeeper and scoring his third goal in the championship. With almost no time to digest the draw, Sancet turned the game around with a low shot from the edge, which bounced slightly off Batahov and misled Trubin.
Ukraine did not seem to offer an answer, which, however, was always allowed to play the trick of an irascible Mudryk, whose center almost on the way to half-time was finished off by Sikan, forcing Arnau Tenas, the goalkeeper without a team, to show off with a great reaction of reflexes.
They tried to scare the Ukrainians out of the locker room with a shot from Bondarenko but it was a mere mirage. This Spain is insatiable and she was not going to miss such a clear opportunity. So much so that he ended up signing a scandalous win, a simple reflection of his superiority. Blanco, with a cross shot, scored the third. Oroz, also from the front, surprised Trubin to sign the fourth. And Sergio Gómez found the squad after a counter to sign the fifth. Spain, with five U-21 continental titles to its credit, will play its ninth final on Saturday.
