England 1-2 Germany (Scott 76; Knauff 3 Weiper 33)
Lee Carsley’s side face quarter-final against Spain
When Lee Carsley expressed his hope that England’s Under-21 players could give Thomas Tuchel “something to ponder” with their performances while defending their European title in Slovakia, their first-half showing against Germany’s second-string side probably wasn’t what he had in mind.
Needing a point to guarantee their place in the quarter-finals and trailing 2-0 at the break after goals from Ansgar Knauff and Nelson Weiper, Slovenia’s defeat to the Czech Republic in the night’s other match ensured they made it through anyway.
But Carsley will be heartened by a significantly improved performance in the second half as his substitutions changed the game and Alex Scott set up a frantic finale that could not quite produce an equaliser. His side will now face Spain in the last eight on Saturday night, although having beaten the pre-tournament favourites, who are looking for their record sixth title at this level, in the final two years ago in Georgia, the England manager will know that his side cannot defend like this again.
