UEFA Euro Under 21 Tournament 2015

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Spain's reign is over after defeat by Serbia, one of seven sides to come through the play-offs and book places alongside hosts Czech Republic in the Prague draw on 6th November.

The race to join the Czech Republic in next summer's UEFA European Under-21 Championship had a memorable denouement on Tuesday, a night of late drama, nine-goal thrillers and a huge shock as Spain's four-year reign ended.

Serbia did the damage in a 2 - 1 win in Spain that saw two added-time strikes, and there were two more in Iceland where, after 180 scoreless minutes, Denmark edged through on away goals. Germany, Italy and England enjoyed varying degrees of comfort; Portugal, too, after a remarkable 5 - 4 second-leg victory against the Netherlands. There was more drama in the late game as Sweden overturned a 2 - 0 first-leg defeat by France, a goal two minutes from time taking them through.

Finals pedigree (best performance; last finals appearance)

Czech Republic (hosts) – winners in 2002; fourth in 2011
Denmark – semi-finals in 1992; group stage in 2011
England – winners in 1984, 1982; group stage in 2013
Germany – winners in 2009; group stage in 2013
Italy – winners in 2004, 2000, 1996, 1994, 1992; runners-up in 2013
Portugal – runners-up in 1994; third in 2007
Serbia – winners in 1978*; group stage in 2009
Sweden – runners-up in 1992; semi-finals in 2007

Key dates

The finals draw takes place in Prague on Thursday 6th November, when the eight teams will be split into two groups of four. The finals – the Czech Republic's first at U21 level – will be played from 17th to 30th June 2015, with matches to be held in Prague, Olomouc and Uherske Hradiste. Pavel Nedvěd is the tournament ambassador.

*As part of Yugoslavia; as an independent nation, Serbia were runners-up in 2007

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Hosts the Czech Republic will take on Germany, Denmark and Serbia in the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship after the final tournament draw was made in Prague.

Former Czech international and tournament ambassador Pavel Nedvěd assisted with the draw. "It's a wonderful event and a wonderful occasion for everyone in our country," said the ex-Juventus and SS Lazio midfielder. "It's not just an opportunity for the fans, but for the coaches and the players to show their skills and show Europe we can play some great football.

"The biggest expectations are with our team, who have a great team and a wonderful coach, so they can achieve really good results – but I wish all the teams luck. Only the best will win."

Group A
Czech Republic (hosts), Germany, Denmark, Serbia

Group B
England, Italy, Portugal, Sweden

The finals will be played from 17th to 30th June 2015, with matches in Prague, Olomouc and Uherske Hradiste.

Key facts:

Group A

• Germany and the Czech Republic have met in six competitive U21 encounters, with three wins for Germany, one for the Czechs and two draws.

• The Czechs' record against Denmark is P4 W3 D1 L0.

• Serbia beat the Czech Republic 1 - 0 in the group stage at the 2007 finals. Overall, they have won four of the teams' five competitive meetings, with the other drawn.

• Germany and Serbia's sole competitive meeting came in the 2006 group stage, Germany winning 1 - 0.

• Denmark and Germany both recorded away wins when they were paired together in qualifying for the 1994 finals.

• Serbia and Denmark have drawn their last two competitive meetings; Serbia had won the two previous meetings and Denmark the first two fixtures between the sides.

Group B

• Italy met Sweden in the 1992 final, winning 2 - 0 at home before losing the first leg 1 - 0. The teams also met in the 2009 group stage (a 2 - 1 Italy win) and in the play-offs for the 2013 finals, the Azzurrini winning 4 - 2 over two matches. Overall, Italy's competitive record against Sweden is W5 D3 L1.

• Italy beat Portugal 1 - 0 in the 1994 final in Montpellier with a team including Francesco Toldo, Fabio Cannavaro and Filippo Inzaghi; Portugal's side included Luís Figo and Rui Costa.

• Portugal's overall competitive record against Italy is W3 D2 L7.

• England and Italy met in the group stage at Israel 2013, the Azzurrini winning 1 - 0; they also played in the 2007, 2002 and 2000 group stages, with a draw following two Italy wins. The teams met in the 1984 and 1986 semi-finals, England winning the first tie 3 - 2 on aggregate and Italy prevailing 3 - 1 two years later. England also won 2 - 1 over two games in the 1978 quarter-finals.

• Portugal beat England 3 - 1 in the 2002 group stage and the teams have met eight times in qualifying, all since 1996. Both teams have three wins with two draws; England have won three of the last four fixtures.

• England overcame Sweden on penalties after a 3 - 3 draw in the 2009 semi-final in Gothenburg. Their head-to-head record in qualifying is two England wins, one Sweden victory and a draw.

• Sweden were 3 - 1 winners against Portugal during the 2004 group stage but lost the third-place play-off between the sides at the same tournament 3 - 2. In qualifying, Sweden have posted two wins to one for Portugal and one draw.

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Group Phase Matchday 1

17th June 2015

Group A

Czech Republic 1 - 2 Denmark
Referee: Szymon Marciniak (POL) – Stadium: Eden Stadium, Prague (CZE)

Germany 1 - 1 Serbia
Referee: Javier Estrada (ESP) – Stadium: Letná Stadium, Prague (CZE)

18th June 2015

Group B

Italy 1 - 2 Sweden
Referee: Tasos Sidiropoulos (GRE) – Stadium: Ander Stadium, Olomouc (CZE)

England 0 - 1 Portugal
Referee: Danny Makkelie (NED) – Stadium: City Stadium, Uherske Hradiste (CZE)

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Group Phase Matchday 2

20th June 2015

Group A

Serbia 0 - 4 Czech Republic
Referee: Clément Turpin (FRA) – Stadium: Letná Stadium, Prague (CZE)

Germany 3 - 0 Denmark
Referee: Sergei Karasev (RUS) – Stadium: Eden Stadium, Prague (CZE)

21st June 2015

Group B

Sweden 0 - 1 England
Referee: Javier Estrada (ESP) – Stadium: Ander Stadium, Olomouc (CZE)

Italy 0 - 0 Portugal
Referee: Szymon Marciniak (POL) – Stadium: City Stadium, Uherske Hradiste (CZE)

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Group Phase Matchday 3

23rd June 2015

Group A

Czech Republic 1 - 1 Germany
Referee: Danny Makkelie (NED) – Stadium: Eden Stadium, Prague (CZE)

Denmark 2 - 0 Serbia
Referee: Tasos Sidiropoulos (GRE) – Stadium: Letná Stadium, Prague (CZE)

24th June 2015

Group B

England 1 - 3 Italy
Referee: Sergei Karasev (RUS) – Stadium: Ander Stadium, Olomouc (CZE)

Portugal 1 - 1 Sweden
Referee: Clément Turpin (FRA) – Stadium: City Stadium, Uherske Hradiste (CZE)

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Semi-Finals

27th June 2015

Portugal 5 - 0 Germany
Referee: Tasos Sidiropoulos (GRE) – Stadium: Ander Stadium, Olomouc (CZE)

Denmark 1 - 4 Sweden
Referee: Sergei Karasev (RUS) – Stadium: Stadion Letná, Prague (CZE)

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Final

30th June 2015

Sweden 0 - 0 Portugal
Sweden win 4 - 3 on penalties
Referee: Szymon Marciniak (POL) – Stadium: Eden Stadium, Prague (CZE)

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Sweden are the new Under-21 champions of Europe after defeating Portugal on penalties at the Eden Stadium in Prague. After a goalless 120 minutes, spot kicks were required to separate the sides, Sweden prevailing in front of their bank of blue-and-yellow-clad fans thanks to two fine stops from Patrik Carlgren.

Portugal might have known. Rewind almost three months to the day and they suffered their most recent defeat, 1 - 0 against the Czech Republic, at this same stadium. They struck the crossbar three times that night, so it was ominous for them when Sérgio Oliveira's 20-metre free-kick cannoned off that same piece of woodwork seven minutes in.

Ricardo had already rustled the side netting by then, but Sweden are no strangers to soaking up early pressure and were soon doing what they do best. Even Håkan Ericson had conceded on Monday that "we sometimes have a game plan to let the opposition have the ball", so the fact they had just 38% of first-half possession would have given him little cause for alarm. They also threatened themselves, though Isaac Kiese Thelin's header and Simon Tibbling's shot were both comfortable enough for José Sá.

Ericson replaced Felip Helander with Joseph Baffo at the break due to a knee injury, but his central pairing at the other end combined as well as ever, Kiese Thelin's cute knockdown teeing up John Guidetti for an adroit first-time effort which whistled over. Though Rui Jorge was soon forced into a substitution of his own, captain Sérgio Oliveira the man to go off, replacement Tozé was swift to test Carlgren from range.

The Swedes' No6, Oscar Lewicki, has been described as the team's "cleaning woman" (stådgumma), and he barely left a blemish even against a direct opponent as authoritative as William. It was Portugal's own midfield enforcer, however, who briefly asserted himself soon after the hour, using his strength to free another substitute, Iuri Medeiros, down the right, only for the No11 to curl his shot narrowly wide.

And then, we thought, came 'Sweden Time'. Four of the Blågult's seven tournament goals had come in the 83rd minute or later; last-gasp heroics twice saved them en route to the Czech Republic. It so nearly happened again, Guidetti thwarted by Sá, but this time they were to leave it even later than normal.

Any suggestion the extra 30 minutes would prove a step too far were soon dispatched, Abdullah Khalili bending one attempt agonisingly wide as Sweden started to assume the ascendancy. It should scarcely have been a surprise considering Ericson had promised his players could "run and run and run, and run again".

They can walk, too, that high-pressure stroll from centre circle to penalty spot providing little difficulty. Even with a first European crown on the line, Carlgren and his team-mates defied the odds one more time to the undiluted joy of the supporters who had urged them noisily on behind that same goal. How appropriate it was that Swedish Football Association (SvFF) president Karl-Erik Nilsson's pre-tournament programme notes had been titled 'Sweden performing under pressure'.

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