Portugal U21 v Sweden U21 – Preview: Youth heavyweights going for historic first success

Date: 30th June 2015 at 9:00am
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Portugal and Sweden will meet in the European Under-21 Championship Final in Prague on Tuesday evening, with both looking to lift the crown of the best young side in Europe.

It is a repeat of the final game of Group B, a 1-1 draw which saw both sides qualify at the expense of Italy; Goncalo Pacienca put the Iberian side ahead within the last ten minutes only to see a jubilant Simon Tibbling equalise with a minute to go.

That game was the first meeting between the two in 11 years – a third-place playoff after Alberto Gilardino had eliminated the Portuguese, so the sides are not well acquainted in recent times.

Tibbling was again on target in the semi-final against neighbours Denmark, scoring the second of the Blagult’s four goals which ensured a relatively stress-free passage to the final.

Earlier on Saturday afternoon, in a game that some sources described as a de facto final, the Esperancas ripped Germany apart, beating Horst Hrubesch’s side 5-0 and looking imperious into the bargain. This represents their first opportunity to lift the European Under 21 crown, righting the wrong of 1994, when the team of Rui Costa, Joao Pinto and Luis Figo lost to Italy in Montpellier.

Sweden’s best result is also runners-up; the Blagult also lost to Italy in the final two years before Portugal, in 1992.

Both sides will enter this game in confident style, and both have players in form who may well have the tournament’s top scorer trophy in their sights. Portugal’s Joao Mario and Sweden’s Simon Tibbling and John Guidetti all have two goals to their name so far, which leaves them one behind the hosts’ Jan Kliment on three.

Guidetti’s penalty in the semi-final took him to 13 goals for the Blagult, drawing him level with Ola Toivonen at the top of the record scorers chart.

Both sides should be at full strength for the final, as the comfortable semi-final victories meant they were both able to allow their key players some rest during the second half. Guidetti played a little under an hour for Sweden, while influential midfielder Bernardo Silva was replaced moments after setting up Portugal’s fourth goal.

Form Guide

Sweden (L-W-W-L-D-W), Portugal (W-W-W-D-D-W)

Expected Starting XIs

Sweden: Carlgren; Lindelof, Milosevic, Helander, Augustinsson; Lewicki, Hiljemark; Khalili, Tibbling; Guidetti, Thelin

Portugal: Jose Sa; Guerreiro, Figueiredo, P. Oliveira, Esgaio; S. Oliveira, Carvalho, Mario; Cavaleiro, Silva, Ricardo

 

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