England U19s Mount Epic Comeback to Hold Germany in Record-Breaking 5-5 Thriller
What began as a nightmare in Bucharest turned into one of the most astonishing comebacks in UEFA Under-19 Championship history, as England’s Young Lions battled back from a 5-1 deficit to draw 5-5 with Germany — all within a blistering 11-minute second-half spell.
England, the 2022 champions, were staring down the barrel of an embarrassing defeat after going into halftime 4-1 behind in their second Group B match.
Germany appeared to be cruising after goals from Noah Darvich, Max Moerstedt, Leopold Wurm, and two from Said El Mala, overwhelmed a shaky England side.
Fulham’s Josh King had earlier pulled one back to make it 2-1 before Germany ran riot.
Things looked even bleaker just three minutes into the second half, when El Mala added his second and Germany’s fifth, making it 5-1. But what followed was a breathtaking turnaround.
In a spellbinding display of resilience and attacking flair, England scored four goals in 11 sensational minutes to level the game.
The comeback began in the 52nd minute when Manchester United striker Ethan Wheatley pounced on a loose ball after a corner to make it 5-2. Tottenham’s Reiss Russell-Denny fired in a low drive three minutes later to reduce the gap to two.
Nottingham Forest’s Zach Abbott then powered in a header from another corner in the 60th minute, and just moments later, Jesse Derry — son of former Crystal Palace captain Shaun Derry — completed the remarkable turnaround.
After a Kadan Young cross was fumbled by German goalkeeper Konstantin Heide, Derry was in the right place to poke home the equaliser.
The equaliser not only completed the comeback but also ensured the match would go down as the highest-scoring game in UEFA U19 European Championship history.
Managed by former Crystal Palace and Luton Town defender Will Antwi, the Young Lions have shown flashes of brilliance but remain winless after two games.
They drew 2-2 with Norway in their opening match, another contest that saw them come from behind thanks to a late penalty from Tottenham’s 17-year-old Mikey Moore.
What’s Next?
England sit second in Group B with two points from two games and face group leaders the Netherlands — who have won both their matches — in a must-win final group clash on Friday, June 21, at 18:00 BST in Bucharest.
Simultaneously, Germany will take on Norway in Voluntari. Both sides have one point and will be hoping to secure a semi-final berth.
The top two teams from each of the two four-nation groups will advance to the semi-finals on June 23. The final will be held at the Rapid-Giulesti Stadium in Bucharest on June 26.
England will need both resilience and results to stay in the hunt for continental glory — but after their stunning fightback against Germany, they’ve already proved anything is possible.
England U19s Mount Epic Comeback to Hold Germany in Record-Breaking 5-5 Thriller