U21 travels to the European Championships as group winners

The U21 national players around match winner Nick Woltemade high-fived each other with relief, coach Antonio Di Salvo smiled proudly. The selection of the German Football Association finally secured their ticket to the European Championship with an arduous mandatory victory as early group winners. After the 2-1 (1-1) win against Bulgaria, the team is already number 1 in its qualifying group before the last game on Tuesday in Poland.

“We didn’t get into the duels well. In the end, it’s just a relief and a great feeling,” said Stuttgart’s Woltemade, who scored the winning goal with a penalty kick in the 66th minute. He had previously missed two of two penalties in training, as he reported on ProSieben Maxx: “I told the boys: I’ll still shoot in the game.”

The U21 team had more trouble than expected in their narrow success. After the early lead through Dortmund’s Maximilian Beier (9th minute), Bulgaria equalized through Nikola Iliev (37th) in front of 8,586 spectators in Regensburg’s Jahnstadion. Woltemade then provided salvation. The European Championship finals will take place in Slovakia from June 11th to 28th, 2025.

Beier as the man of the first half

Returnee Beier, one of three new players in the starting line-up compared to the goal feasts in September, took over the main role before the break. The BVB professional, who was nominated for the senior national team in September, celebrated his third goal for the U21s. After a corner from Gladbach’s Rocco Reitz was initially cleared, he crossed the ball again in front of the goal. Beier rose highest there and headed in an exemplary manner to take the deserved lead in the very dominant opening phase.

Frankfurt’s Ansgar Knauff, also new to the starting line-up, came closest to making it 2-0. But his powerful shot flew just over the goal.

Bulgaria was able to free itself from the initial constant pressure from the DFB team, but the hosts also slowed down a bit. After Martin Georgiew’s header chance had no consequences (30′), the ball ended up in the German goal a little later. This was preceded by a pass from Beier, who reached the Bulgarian Marin Petkow in the German penalty area instead of Cologne captain Eric Martel, who was too passive in this scene. The ultimate beneficiary was Iliev. In stoppage time, Freiburg’s Noah Atubolu, who returned to the goal for Jonas Urbig, even saved the 1-1 against Petkow.

Woltemade safely from the point

Without Dortmund’s Karim Adeymi, who was so accurate in September with five goals in two games and was missing due to injury, the German team had less power against a clearly stronger opponent. Despite all their efforts, the team led by driver Reitz sometimes lacked precision and the final punch.

Martel (63′) and Nicolo Tresoldi from Hannover 96 (64′) didn’t miss much of a header to take the lead again. The nerve-racking Woltemade then took care of that with his fourth U21 goal after Tresoldi had previously been fouled. In the last 20 minutes, 18-year-old Paul Wanner from Heidenheim was able to celebrate his debut.