BATUMI, Georgia (AP) — England won the European Under-21 Championship for the first time in 39 years when James Trafford saved a stoppage-time penalty to preserve a 1-0 win over Spain in the final on Saturday.
Trafford repelled Abel Ruiz's spot kick, awarded after a VAR review in the sixth minute of added time, and kept out substitute Aimar Oroz's follow-up at the end of a pulsating contest at Batumi Arena.
In the process, the goalkeeper became the first man to keep six clean sheets at the finals and didn't concede a goal for England's third title and first since 1984.
Curtis Jones scored in first-half stoppage time when he deflected Cole Palmer's free kick past keeper Arnau Tenas.
Tempers flared. Following a melee, England coach Ashley Cole and one of his Spanish counterparts were sent off on the sidelines. There were also 10 yellow cards, and after the missed penalty in second half injury time, substituted England midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White and Spain's Antonio Blanco were sent off for the second yellows.
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