Town forward Omari Hutchinson scored as England’s U21s beat Germany 3-2 after extra-time to retain the European U21 Championship in Bratislava, Slovakia.

As has been the case throughout the tournament, Hutchinson started on the left for Lee Carsley’s side.

England, who won the competition when it was last staged in 2023, went ahead in the fifth minute when a deflected ball saw Hutchinson in on goal on the left of the box but German keeper Noah Atubolu blocked his effort. It was stabbed away to Harvey Elliott on the other side of the area and the Liverpool man netted his fifth goal of the tournament.

And 19 minutes later, Hutchinson netted England’s second, Lee Carsley’s side having failed to take two earlier very good chances.

James McAtee battled for the ball on the edge of the box before moving it to the Town forward in space on the left of the box from where he struck a low shot past Atubolu and into the net before celebrating with his trademark somersault.

On 32, Hutchinson wasn’t far away from his second, the Young Lions breaking quickly, as they had all half, before the Blues’ record signing cut in from the left and hit a shot which clipped a defender and flew wide of the far post.

Eight minutes later, with England looking like scoring with every counter-attack, Hutchinson cut across from the left to Elliott but Atubolu was able to bundle it away from goal.

The Germans had presented little threat but a minute into first-half injury time, they pulled a goal back, Nelson Weiper heading powerfully into the corner of the net.

And on the hour, with Germany having been on top since the restart, they levelled when a corner from the right flicked off Charlie Cresswell’s head and fell to Mainz 05’s Paul Nebel in space at the back of the box, he cut inside and smashed a shot into the top corner.

As the game moved into its final 10 minutes, Hutchinson did well on the left and cut back to sub Brooke Norton-Cuffy but the Genoa right-back scuffed what was a very good chance through to the keeper.

In the third and penultimate minute of injury time Germany crashed a deflected shot against the cross-bar with the whistle sending the game into an additional half an hour moments later.

Two minutes into extra-time, England restored their lead, Tyler Morton crossing from the right and Marseille’s Jonathan Rowe, who had only just come in as a sub, stooped to flicked a header just inside the post.

Hutchinson, who was still causing Germany problems when breaking forward, was replaced in the 98th minute, completing an impressive tournament in which he has taken his England U21s caps to 10 and goals tally to three, this evening’s the most important of his international career so far.

In stoppage time in extra-time, Germany hit the bar for a second time, but the Young Lions saw out the final seconds to win the competition for the fourth time.

Hutchinson becomes the third player to win the U21 Euros while with the Blues. Previously, Steve McCall played both legs of the 5-4 win against Germany on aggregate in 1982, alongside future Blues forward and coach Paul Goddard - a scorer in the 3-2 second leg defeat in Bremen - while Mich D’Avray came on as an 18th-minute substitute in the second leg of the 3-0 on-aggregate victory over Spain in Seville two years later, the only other time England have retained the title.

Photo: REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa

ArnieM added 11:31 - Jun 29 Anyone know what %, Chelsea will be tskung if this £35m release money. Because Town won't be getting £35m that's for sure, so all this talk of Town doubling our money ( same as with Delap) is a load of nonsense.
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bluebullet29l added 16:11 - Jun 29 Thanks for everything omari and good luck wherever you end up. Sadly it won't be with us. Time for Jack clarke and ogbene to step up. As for philogene who knows but first things first he's got to look interested at least because he didn't last season.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 17:35 - Jun 29 bluebullet291, I think Jack Clarke will step up when he gets the chance of a regular spot.
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Marinersnose added 17:58 - Jun 29 Omari will be a steal at £35m and I’m sure he will have several offers. Those suggesting that he was average, maybe that’s because he had players below average around him. For me when he was injured at Manure we looked devoid of ideas in the subsequent games. He is an incredible outlet, a fantastic ball carrier and very quick and aggressive in the press. He also works his socks off. He’ll be a huge loss and Burns Ogbene and Philogene are not yet anywhere near his level.

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blueboy1981 added 18:06 - Jun 29 A Player that McK did not get the best out of last season - overall McK proved himself very naive last season. Omari must move on to make the most of his obvious talent. The Championship Grind is no place for him - he will be totally wasted at that level.
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dusth added 18:15 - Jun 29 The Championship Grind eh, Blue Boy? Can you handle it? I've been at it since 1961 and it all seems like football supporting to me. And Dark Horse's post above is one of the most arrogant posts I've ever read on here. You may be an expert Dark Horse and if so I apologise but my gut tells me the ones who know don't read like that.
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armchaircritic59 added 19:27 - Jun 29 To use that old cliche/saying, which is non the less factually correct, a footballer is worth what any club is pepared to pay for him, to that club at least.
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