England top group after stalemate

Spain 0-0 Germany
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Monday 15 June 2009
Gothenburg, Sweden

Stuart Pearce and his England players would have been interested viewers back in the team hotel as they watched Group B rivals Spain and Germany play out a goalless draw in their opening game of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Sweden.

England play Spain on Thursday and Pearce has already said that his young team will have to raise their game if they are to get a positive result. This match, albeit without goals or much incident, showed why.

Both sides hit the woodwork and both keepers played well in a match littered with players showing great technique and ability.

The draw could prove to be a reasonable result for both teams as they look to pip England to qualification to the semi-final.

But it could so easily have been a win for Germany but for an excellent late save by goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo, who raced off his line and then stood his ground to deny Mesut Ozil a goal nine minutes from time.

It was the second outstanding stop from an Ozil effort, as Asenjo had pulled off an even better save in the 62nd minute.

And how Germany were left to rue their missed chances as Marko Marin had clipped the outside of a post in time added on at the end of the first half.

And although Spain might have felt fortunate to avoid conceding a goal they can also reflect on the fact that they had the better of the earlier exchanges and few would have begrudged them taking a 32nd minute lead when Marc Torrejon headed powerfully against the Germany crossbar.

It seemed as both sides almost settled for a draw the longer the game went on, but it all means England are top of Group B as the only team with a win after the opening matches of the tournament.