After securing victory over Italy on Thursday, England under 21s played host to Germany under 21s in an international friendly at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane. The South Yorkshire crowd witnessed an impressive display from the Young Lions, who turned out 3-1 winners.
The game got off to a slow start with no major chances in the opening exchanges and equal possession. Germany grew into the game around the half-an-hour mark and took the lead through a comfortable header from Nmecha. England responded immediately, hitting the crossbar in the 37th minute and equalising moments later. Striker Folarin Balugon found the back of the net with a low-driven strike following a great run from Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey.
England’s fortunes continued to improve throughout the second half, and the Young Lions took the lead just minutes after half-time. Once again, Balogun was involved as he carried the ball to the edge of the 18-yard box. His shot fell into the path of Anthony Gordon, who set up Connor Gallagher with a tap-in. Gallagher continued to grow in confidence following his first goal, and he attempted another shot on target with the outside of his foot, but German goalkeeper Atubolu denied his chance.
The atmosphere inside Bramall Lane peaked when Sheffield United players James McAtee and Rhian Brewster entered the field of play in the 70th minute. The pair received a huge reception from the many Blades’ fans among the 10,735 at the ground. To their credit, Germany continued to search for an equaliser towards the end of the match and the game opened up massively. England capitalised on the Germans’ desperation late on, and added a third on the counterattack through number 23, Cole Palmer. He found himself in on a goal after a failed German free kick and slotted home in front of the Bramall Lane End.
The game ended on a downer after a last-minute sending-off for Germany’s Ansgar Knauff, who got his second yellow card for a headbutt on Tommy Doyle. Overall, it was a great spectacle, and the people of Sheffield are looking forward to seeing international football return to the city in the future.
