Italy retains European under-21 championship
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-06-09 10:08

Italy won the title of the European under-21 championship for a fifth time in the past seven tournaments as they defeated Serbia & Montenegro 3-0 in the final in Bochum on Tuesday.

Top three teams of this tournament qualify for the Olympics in Athens in August.

Italian players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Under 21 European Championship against Serbia and Montenegro in Bochum June 8, 2004. Italy won the match 3-0. [Reuters]

Defender Daniele de Rossi gave the Italians the lead on the 32nd minute with a header from a corner, Cesare Bovo scored the second at the 84th, and Parma striker Alberto Gilardino sealed the victory just one minute later.

Serbia & Montenegro finished the match with nine men after defender Nikola Mijailovic committed a second bookable offence in the 34th minute and Branislav Ivanovic was given a straight red card in injury time.

Serbia and Montenegro's Simon Vukcevic lies on the pitch after being defeated by Italy in the Under 21 European Championship finalin Bochum June 8, 2004. [Reuters]

In the third-place play-off in Oberhausen earlier on Tuesday, Portugal also won a place at the Athens Olympics, defeating Sweden 3-2 after extra time.

Carlitos scored the winning goal for Portugal in the second period of extra time, after Swedish substitute Markus Rosenberg scored to level at 2-2 in the last minute of the normal time.

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