Spain crowned European Under-21 champions
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Shanghai Daily, June 27, 2011
![Spain crowned European Under-21 champions. [Source: Sina.com]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20110627/000cf1bdd2450f721bb801.jpg "Spain crowned European Under-21 champions. [Source: Sina.com]") |
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Spain crowned European Under-21 champions. [Source: Sina.com] |
Ander Herrera and Thiago Alcantara scored the goals as Spain beat Switzerland 2-0 in Aarhus, Denmark, on Saturday to win the European Under-21 Championship.
Spain, dominant at senior level where it is world and European champion, sealed its third continental Under-21 title thanks to a first-half header from Herrera and an audacious free kick from Alcantara in the 81st minute.
Switzerland, which was seeking its first trophy, managed to shackle the Spaniards well in the opening half hour in Aarhus and could have gone ahead when Xherdan Shaqiri half-volleyed a shot that Atletico Madrid goalkeeper David De Gea had to punch away.
Instead, the Swiss defense was breached for the first time in the tournament as Didac Vila's pinpoint cross found Herrera arriving at pace, and the midfielder planted his header firmly past keeper Yann Sommer at the near post in the 41st.
As the Swiss tired of chasing possession, Thiago put the result beyond doubt with a free kick in the 81st.
Spotting Sommer off his line, the Barcelona midfielder floated the ball over his head from 40 meters out, triggering wild celebrations from the Spanish.
Earlier in the day, Yegor Filipenko scored an 88th-minute goal as Belarus edged out 10-man Czech Republic 1-0 in the third-place playoff and qualified for next year's Olympic Games in London.
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