© EuroFootball.com
Italian footballers became the European youth champions under 21. In the final held on Tuesday, they crushed the national team of Serbia and Montenegro 3-0.
Daniele De Rossi put Italy ahead in the 32nd minute. In the 34th minute, Serbian player Mijailovič was sent off the field for a second yellow card. The score remained 1-0 almost until the end of the match. It was only in the 85th minute that Bovo doubled the lead. Just a minute later, Italy's attacking leader A. Gilardino secured the victory. In the final minute of the match, another Serbian player - Ivanovič - was also sent off the field.
It is worth mentioning that Italy started the championship with an unexpected loss against the Belarusian team, but then they secured three consecutive wins, including one against the same Serbian and Montenegrin players.
Portuguese footballers won the bronze medals by defeating the Swedes 3-2. Although the Swedes managed to equalize in the final moments of the match, the Portuguese team scored in the second half of extra time to clinch the third place and a ticket to the Olympic Games.
Final:
Italy 3-0 Serbia and Montenegro
32' [1-0]
85' [2-0]
86' [3-0]
Match for 3rd place:
Sweden 2-3 Portugal
45' Johan Elmander [1-0]
76' 11m. [1-1]
85' Jorge Ribeiro [1-2]
90' Markus Rosenberg [2-2]
114' Carlitos [2-3]
