Danes Defeated And Portuguese Pipped By Euro Under-21 Champs Sweden

Denmark's run at the European Under-21 Championship finals has been going far better than expected, but their exit in the semi-finals won't disappoint them too much in the long run

It will be of some small comfort for those fans who like to bet on sports in Denmark that their under-21 side was beaten out of a spot in the final by the Swedish team that went on to win. Certainly everyone expected Portugal to come out victorious, but having put four past the Danes the Swedes had to play out a tense penalty shoot-out after a full 120 minutes to seal the deal and win the trophy for the first time in their history.

Danish Semi-Final Exit To Winners
• Sweden 4 – 1 Denmark in semis
• Swedes go on to beat Portugal in final
• Danes have work to do to win

The Danes had smarted from the 4-1 defeat, the Swedes so much more in control, so much better at finishing, but by no means as much as the Germans did having to watch the Portuguese team sail through their semi-final in a five-nil drubbing that will haunt them going forward, their defense just unable to be the equal of Portugal's formidable attack, something that was likely, in the pundit's predictions to give them as much of a win against Sweden as Sweden had got against Denmark.

One of the things the final taught us was that the Sweden side of the future has an ability to close down attack that would make any military strategist jealous, right into extra time they gave the Portuguese team very little room to maneuver their formation rock hard at the back, their midfield disciplined and staunch. Indeed the final was perhaps the meeting of the best attack and the best defense on show at the tournament.

Danes Beaten 4-1 By Eventual Winners

If you took advantage of Danish gambling laws to make the odd wager at ComeOn! Sportsbook or any of the Gibraltar betting companies that now litter the online universe, and found your national Under-21 team lacking you can take some heart that this tournament showed precisely where it's strengths and weaknesses lie and going forward and there is much to be pleased with, including their qualifying top of their group and indeed reaching a semifinal.

However the Danes themselves would be the first to admit that the Swedes outplayed them in the middle third and had all the fortune when it came to finishing, but even during this rout Bech still managed to claw one back an hour in giving them hope, albeit of a variety that was hammered flat by the subsequent goals, the last coming at the very death of the game to add just a twinge of insult to the injury already caused to Danish pride..

This goal fest, like the one Portugal inflicted on the Germans, stood in marked contrast to the final where the sides clashed like the Symplegades, coming together in fierce collisions of equal force and then receding back till the next opportunity presented itself. The game might have inevitably slowed in pace a little over the course of two full hours, but there was never much between the sides, each coming close on occasion, neither one capitalizing on chances gained.

Unstoppable Force Meeting Immovable Object Goes To Penalties

The first time since 2002 that the Euro Under-21s Championship final had gone to a penalty shootout there was always going to be a certain amount of heartbreak come the end, but the game itself had been played in relatively good spirits, with perhaps Sweden's number of fouls reflecting the amount of defending they found themselves doing, and whilst Guidetti just fractionally missed a beautiful half volley, the Swedes were just unlucky up front.

The Portuguese were perhaps gambling news of Toze and Medeiros coming on in the second half might quiet the noise from the very vocal Swedish fans, but it just made them sing louder and come extra time they were still roaring their nation's youth on despite Portugal having most of the possession, but unable to get close enough to do anything about it. Frustrated at every turn by the staunch defenders in yellow Portugal's eventual loss perhaps one built in so many squandered chances in normal time.

In the shootout Guidetti went first and scored with ease, Paciencia, Isacc Kiese Thelin and Toze all following suit, as did Augustinsson, but then Ricardo Esgalo missed putting Portugal under pressure, however Sweden's Abdul Khalili fluffed his chance and when Joao Marlo scored his pen, it was all down to the final two kicks of the game. Lindelof stepped up, and drove it home past de Sa, and then William Carvalho was stopped by Carlgren and Sweden had won. Their fans went mad.