Bitter blow for Italians

A first-half strike from Boavista's Joao Paulo Ribeiro was enough to earn Portugal the country's second European Youth Championship in six years at the Idrottsparken in Norrkoping last night.

The defeat was a bitter blow to the Italians who had also lost on their two previous appearances in the final and who, as they did against the Irish on Friday, enjoyed a numerical advantage over their opponents through the closing stages of the match.

This time around, though, Rosario Rampanti's side couldn't find a way through to goal against a Portuguese side who resisted the temptation to simply mount a last-ditch defence of their lead after Carlos Miguel Semedo was dismissed for committing a second bookable offence with 26 minutes remaining. This followed a poorly timed challenge on Franco Semioli. Joao Paulo's 33rd minute goal was a worthy match-winner with Pedro Pepa Filipe beating Riccardo Fissore down the left and then slipping the ball inside for his team-mate who finished first time from around 10 yards out.

Alessandro Sgrigna came close to equalising early in the second half when Enzo Maresca put him clean through on goalkeeper Pedro Albergaria but the Italian striker was forced into rushing his shot by his opponent's speed off his line and the ball hopped just a few inches wide of the left-hand post.

The victory, achieved without the services of suspended captain Candido Costa, maintains Portugal's proud record in under-age soccer with one previous win from five earlier appearances in the Youths final and a string of successes at under-16 level.

PORTUGAL: Albergaria (Boavista); Pedro Costa (Boavista), Tonel (Porto), Ricardo Costa (Boavista), Vasco Faisca (Lourinhanense), Joao Paulo (Boavista), Duda (Vitoria), Filipe (Felgueiras), Semedo (Vitoria), Mota (Benfica), Pepa (Benfica). Subs: Ernesto (Boavista) for Joao Paulo (58 mins), Hugo Cruz (Porto) for Tonel (89 mins).

ITALY: Bagnacani (Reggiana); Colucci (Foggia), Fabris (Venezia), Fissore (Torino), Graffiedi (Cesena), Lazzeri (Torino), Maresca (West Brom), Pinzi (Lazio), Rinaldi (Milan), Semioli (Torino), Sgrigna (Lodigiani). Subs: Turi (Piacenza) for Fissore (56 mins), Lazzaro (Torino) for Graffiedi, Blasi (Lecce) for Sgrigna (both 81 mins).

Referee: C Kapitanis (Cyprus).