The Spanish were quite simply on a different level to plucky England...

Spain booked a place in the final of the UEFA Under-19 Championships with a wonderful 3-1 win over England, producing football that many senior sides would be proud of.



However, England almost made the dream start in the first two minutes when Delfouneso's pace was too much for the returning Montoya and he jinked back onto his right side to deliver a cross with pinpoint accuracy. Ryan Donaldson was presented with an excellent chance but Alex beat the ball away for a corner.

Spain, for their part, quickly realised the importance of maintaining an upbeat tempo and it enabled them to fashion opportunities despite England stationing many players behind the ball. It was little surprise when Daniel Pacheco gave Spain the lead in the twelfth minute with a thumping close range finish after a brilliant cutback from Sergio Canales. Crucially, the move began when the Spaniards' pressing game paid dividends when English skipper Matthew James was robbed of possession.



As imperious as they have been going forward, Spain betrayed their as-yet unexploited defensive vulnerability when Alex rushed out of his goal but was saved by a covering challenge from Montoya on Delfouneso.



And then from the ridiculous to the sublime. After Alex's mishap, Spain then showed why they are irresistable to watch Keko played a one-two with Sergio Canales before ghosting inside into the area. He cleverly used Rodrigo as a decoy runner, as one would see in rugby, before sliding the ball left-footed past a helpless Rudd.



Just as England looked dead and buried, they produced their own moment of magic. After some excellent harrying of the Spanish defence, substitute John Bostock volleyed the loose ball into the bottom corner to hand his side a lifeline.



England resorted to 4-4-2 and a more direct game after the break as they tried to exploit the gaps Spain leave at the back. However Noel Blake's incessant tactical tinkering could not even hope to mask England's inferiority.



In a game that never ceased to amaze, Spain astounded one and all for the second successive game. Perhaps even outdoing Ezequiel Calvente's outrageous penalty last time out, from a free-kick, Thiago Alcantara dinked the ball over the wall to Canales who peeled off the back of the wall then before poking home for Spain's third. The wild celebrations that ensued highlighted the work that had been done on the training ground. The game was finished as a contest with a mere 56 minutes on the clock.

An array of changes towards the end meant Spain lost their rhythm somewhat but they were never in danger of not clinching a spot in the final that few would begrudge them. France and Croatia, beware.