Germany U21 v Romania U21
Thursday 27th June 1700hrs
Football – International – UEFA U21 Championship
Pick Over 2.5 goals
Bookmaker Bet365
Odds: 7/10 (odds taken 21.25 GMT, Wednesday 26th June)
It may not have been the semi-final pairing most would have expected but there is now great anticipation as European champions Germany take on the very impressive Romanians.
UEFA U21 Championship Betting at Bet365
Germany Preview – Will Germany move a step closer to retaining title?
Although Germany came into this tournament as the reigning champions, there was much less expectation on them this time around. There was a feeling that Stefan Kuntz’ men were lacking the same quality as two years ago. Coincide that with other teams seemingly having much stronger squads and it is something of a surprise to see how Germany have negotiated the group stage with relative ease. Despite all those fears, the one thing that is apparent in virtually all German teams is their strong mentality. It is such an important quality to have in tournament football and it’s came to the fore once again. Two impressive wins over Denmark and Serbia – where they scored nine goals – meant they could afford to draw their final group game against Austria. The seven points seen them top Group B and move into the semi-finals for this clash with Romania.
Star of the show for Germany so far in the competition has been Luca Waldschmidt. The Freiburg striker is the current top scorer at these Championships with five goals. Included within that was a hat-trick in the 6-1 win over Serbia and one apiece in the other two games. He enjoyed a successful season with his club team and it’s not out of the question to think he could be called into the senior squad soon.
Romania – Can Romania continued their excellent form and reach first ever final?
Romania would not have been on many people’s list of potential semi-finalists before this tournament kicked off. Despite some real confidence emerging from the country itself their chances were pretty much written off in favour of the bigger names. Football is full of surprises, though, and this Romanian team have been the biggest surprise package of these Euros. Being drawn in a group that included France and England, and the ever-dangerous Croatia, Romania were a standout performer. A 4-1 win over the Croats to open proceedings was then followed by a 4-2 success against England. The match against the English was arguably the most dramatic of the competition but Romania held their nerve for the victory. That left them only need a point against France to ensure progression and it was a result that suited both.
Ianis Hagi has grabbed the headlines for this team, partly because of his famous surname. He’s undoubtedly talented though and could be set for a big move on the back of this tournament. His fellow attackers Florinel Coman has also impressed, though, scoring twice against England. He’s also a player that will be capturing attention from potential suitors.
Key-Facts – Germany U21 v Romania U21
- Germany and Romania made it through to the semi-finals having been unbeaten in the groups
- The Germans are looking to follow up their triumph in 2017 whilst this is the furthest Romania have ever been
- It’s a clash of the two top scorers in the competition as Germany have notched 10 times and their opponents just two less
Germany v Romania Betting Advice
It’s fair to say that this first semi-final is a clash between the two teams who have impressed consistently throughout the tournament. Germany and Romania have been at it from the beginning and it looks set for a very entertaining game in Bologna. It’s also a rare meeting between the two nations at this level. The last time they faced each other at U21 level Germany won 8-0. That came in qualification for the 2015 European Championships but it’s a world removed from tomorrow’s game. Romania are a much stronger outfit these days and not one Germany will be underestimating.
Germany are the top scorers in this competition with 10 goals in their three games thus far. Six of those did come in the one game but there’s no doubting they have plenty if firepower. Romania are joint second top scorers along with Spain and they have spread their goals around the team. Although they drew a blank against France in their goalless draw last time, that was a game that they never needed to win. It’s a game set up for goals and I think we’ll see a few. Over 2.5 goals is the obvious way to go in this one.
