The Dutch under-nineteen football team won the European title for the first time on Thursday in Bucharest. In the final in Bucharest, the Netherlands was too strong for Spain with 1-0, who asked for a penalty in injury time.
An own goal by Spain goalkeeper Raúl Jiménez made the difference in the Romanian capital. Feyenoord defender Givairo Read gave a cross after an hour of play that was clumsily worked into his own goal by the keeper.
In injury time, Spain asked for a penalty after an alleged foul by Kees Smit. The arbitration waved the incident away, to the dismay of the defending champion. After the final whistle, there was a brief scuffle between the players of Spain and the Netherlands.
It is the first European title for the Netherlands under 19 ever. This team reached the final of the European Championship or its predecessors three times before. In 1948, 1949 and 1970, the Dutch talents lost all three finals.
The team of national coach Peter van der Veen has ensured the seventh title for a Dutch men’s team in the youth with the final victory. Earlier, the Netherlands under 17 (four times) and Young Orange (twice) won the main prize.
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Orange under 19 takes the lead in European Championship final due to goalkeeping blunder
Keeper Heerkens important for Orange
Orange started the final with confidence. The team recorded three convincing victories in the group stage, after which they defeated host country Romania 3-1 in the semi-final on Monday.
Orange also started well in the final against Spain, but big chances failed to materialize for Van der Veen’s team. The first good opportunity was for the Spaniards. Goalkeeper Joeri Heerkens saved a shot from Omar Janneh.
Halfway through the first half, Don-Angelo Konadu was close to opening the score for the Netherlands, but the Ajax attacker shot against the scrambling goalkeeper Jiménez. It turned out to be one of the few concrete opportunities for Orange before the break.
Thanks to Heerkens, the Netherlands went into the dressing room without conceding a goal. After a bad pass in the Orange defense, the Sparta Prague goalkeeper – who is on the radar of Ajax, among others – intervened decisively.
Orange and Spain hit aluminum
In the second half, there was immediately a lot to experience in the Superbet Arena-Giulesti. PSV player Tygo Land shot on the post, after which Spain hit the aluminum twice. Alejandro Monserrate smashed the ball onto the post and Antonio Cordero headed onto the crossbar.
Captain Read finally broke the spell in Bucharest after an hour of play. The Feyenoord defender was sent deep and then seemed to give a cross. Keeper Jiménez completely misjudged the situation and tapped the ball into his own goal via his foot.
Both teams had some opportunities for goals in the last half hour, but no more goals were scored in Bucharest. In injury time, Spain asked for a penalty after a tackle by AZ player Smit, but the referee saw a correct intervention.
The Spaniards had no understanding for the decision of the arbitration. There was no VAR present, so the defending champion left frustrated. After the final whistle, there was still a quarrel on the field between the players of Spain and the Netherlands, but it was quickly settled.
Smit was named best player of the European Championship after the match. The midfielder from AZ, who is linked to Ajax and Real Madrid, was also the top scorer of the tournament with four goals together with the Spaniard Pablo Garcia.