The Under-21 European Championship begain in Slovakia on Wednesday evening, with 2023 runners-up Spain beating the hosts in Bratislava with a last-minute winner.<\/p>\n
Spain, beaten by England in the 2023 final, won 3-2 thanks to the late strike by Valencia defender Cesar Tarrega.<\/p>\n
Goals from Marc Pubill and Mateo Joseph \u2013 of newly-promoted Leeds United \u2013 put Spain 2-0 up inside 20 minutes but the hosts rallied to level before Tarrega\u2019s winner.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was almost like we overslept at the beginning of the match,\u201d said Jaroslav Kentos, the Slovakia coach.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe were very passive; we conceded two goals, but we got back into the match. We are sad about Spain\u2019s third goal, but I am proud of the boys because they gave it their all \u2013 they played with passion. Of course, we are not satisfied with the result \u2013 we were close to a point.\u201d<\/p>\n
Italy beat Romania 1-0 in the other game in Group A with the only goal of the game coming from Tommaso Baldanzi of Roma, with goalkeeper Sebastiano Desplanches saving a penalty from Louis Munteanu.<\/p>\n
England begin their defence under Lee Carsley against Czechia on Thursday night \u2013 read the preview here.<\/a><\/p>\n
In Group C, another stoppage-time winner gave Georgia a 2-1 win over Poland.<\/p>\n
Nodar Lominadze\u2019s goal was cancelled out by a penalty from Jakub Kaluzinski before Vasilios Gordeziani won it for Georgia.<\/p>\n
Those three points could provr vital for Georgia in a stacked group as France and Portugal played out a 0-0 draw.<\/p>\n