Italy set up a date with Spain in the final of the European U21 Championships by beating Netherlands 1-0 in their semi-final match on Saturday night.

A mouth-watering tie was expected as two talented squads faced off and just three minutes in Netherlands had the first real chance when Adam Maher left the crossbar shaking after a superb free-kick.

The game was tight but in the 19th minute Kevin Strootman's scuffed shot almost fell for the stretching Maher while Ciro Immobile forced a great save from Jeroen Zoet after a swift counter-attack on the half-hour mark.

Lorenzo Insigne then beat Strootman in the 39th minute but his long-range strike sailed wide while Daley Blind and Maher both failed to beat the goalkeeper at the other end a minute later.

Fabio Borini hit the side netting in the 42nd minute while Maher had the last chance of the half with a free-kick that just beat the post.

The second-half was even tighter as Borini enjoyed the first real chance with a long-range strike in the 64th minute which went just wide of the target.

The Dutch then had a great chance five minutes later when Luuk De Jong got in behind but his ball across the face of goal was not finished off.

That would be punished in the 78th minute when Borini took a great touch, turned his defender and placed his finish under the goalkeeper to give the Italians the lead.

De Jong saw his flick kept out five minutes later as the Dutch tried to find an equaliser but Italy were organised in the final few minutes and saw out the win.