England Likely To Face Sweden!

Last updated : 20 June 2009 By Footy Mad - Editor

Monday 22nd June 2009  
European Under-21 Championship Group B
   
Finland U21  v  Spain U21 19.45 
Germany U21  v  England U21 19.45
 
Tuesday 23rd June 2009  
European Under-21 Championship Group A
   
Belarus U21  v  Italy U21 19.45 
Serbia U21  v  Sweden U21 19.45

Friday 26th June 2009  
European Under-21 Championship Semi Final
   
Winner Group A  v  Runner-up Group B 19.45 
Winner Group B  v  Runner-up Group A 19.45

Italy's Balotelli opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, when he latched onto Sebastian Giovinco's pass and dinked around the defence before curling the ball past the outstretched arm of Johan Dahlin from just outside the area.

The Inter Milan striker, who has had disciplinary problems before, went from hero to villain 15 minutes later when he was harshly red-carded for a tame kick at Sweden's Pontus Wernbloom after the pair had got in a tangle.

Sweden had come from behind to win their past three matches and it seemed as if they were in with a good chance of repeating that with their numerical advantage.

However, Robert Acquafresca doubled Italy's lead when he headed Giovinco's free-kick into the bottom left corner from the edge of the six-yard box in the 53rd minute.

There was a nervy finale for the Azzurri when Ola Toivonen pulled one back for the hosts right at the death, but they held out for the three minutes of stoppage-time to move to top spot in the European Under-21 Championship group, a point above Sweden.

Meanwhile in the day's other game Serbia and Belarus missed the chance to pile the pressure on hosts Sweden after playing out a goalless draw.

Both teams looked lively enough in possession of the ball, however, the pair lacked a cutting edge up front in what proved a scrappy game devoid of any significant goal-mouth action.

The best chance of the match arrived with ten minutes to go, but Nemanja Pejcinovic failed to test Belarus keeper Pavel Chesnovsky from close range after a neat knock-down.