England beaten by Germany but still progress to U21 Euro knockout stages

Harvey Elliott during the UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2025 Group Stage match between England and Germany

Despite losing 2-1 on the night, England will join Germany in the knockout stages of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, claiming second spot in Group B as Antonio Di Salvo’s side extended their unbeaten run to 18 matches (W15, D3).

Having already qualified for the knockout stages ahead of their final group game, Germany fielded an entirely changed XI.

Those alterations didn’t seem to affect the German rhythm, as they broke the deadlock inside three minutes through Ansgar Knauff, who cushioned Lukas Ullrich’s flighted ball into the box before tucking calmly past James Beadle.

The Young Lions saw more of the ball throughout the next half-hour, but having failed to carve out any chances of note, they fell further behind when Knauff picked out Nelson Weiper for a towering header at the back post – his first for the U21s.

Trailing at the break, Lee Carsley made a triple change as he searched for a catalyst, knowing that a goal in Slovenia’s match against the Czech Republic could throw progression into jeopardy.

Fortunately for him, it was the already-eliminated LvDčata who quickly established a two-goal advantage after their restart, giving England some much-needed breathing room.

The contest was lacking a sense of urgency, and clear-cut opportunities were proving hard to come by until Omari Hutchinson danced into the box, pulling back for Alex Scott to tap in his first U21 goal 14 minutes from time.

That goal sparked life into the trailing side, with Charlie Cresswell forcing Tjark Ernst into a smart stop with a header from a corner, but an equaliser ultimately never materialised.

A solid showing sees Germany top Group B with a 100% record, meaning they will face Italy on Sunday as they look to claim a fourth U21 Euros title.

As for England, a mixed group stage ends with a second successive group-stage progression – the first since 2007 and 2009.

The Young Lions will face off against Spain on Saturday, having won just two of their last seven matches in all competitions (D3, L2).