Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Germany through to semi-finals

The Netherlands, holders Spain, Portugal and Germany all secured dramatic wins to book UEFA European Under-21 Championship semi-final places on Monday.

Holders Spain were denied victory in 90 minutes by a late Croatia goal but substitute Javi Puado scored his second in extra time to make sure of victory. The Netherlands also won 2-1, coming from behind to beat France with two Myron Boadu goals, the second deep in added time.

Portugal also needed extra time before winning 5-3 against Italy, who had recovered from 3-1 down to level through Patrick Cutrone in the 89th minute, while Germany were taken all the way to penalties by Denmark. Stefan Kuntz's men equalised in normal and extra time before Paul Jaeckel's spot kick proved decisive in the shoot-out.

Road to Lujbljana

Thursday: Semi-finals
Netherlands vs Germany (Székesfehérvár, 21:00 CET)
Spain vs Portugal (Maribor, 18:00 CET)

Sunday: Final
Netherlands/Germany vs Spain/Portugal (Ljubljana, 21:00 CET)

Quarter-final reports

Spain 2-1aet Croatia (Maribor)

Spain were clear favourites before the match and took control after both teams started cautiously. La Rojita tried to pick Croatia's lock but failed to break through until midway through the second half when it took some individual magic from Bryan Gil, who set up Puado for the opener.

Croatia refused to lay down and they managed to win a last-gasp penalty when Hugo Guillamón tripped Stipe Biuk and Luka Ivanušec converted to send the match into extra time. A shoot-out seemed inevitable but there was one final twist with ten minutes remaining as Puado latched on to Marc Cucarella's long pass and kept his cool to send Spain into the last four.

Netherlands 2-1 France (Budapest)

Boadu struck deep into stoppage time as Netherlands came from behind to stun France and reach the last four. After a cagey start, France took the lead when Dayot Upamecano rose unmarked to head home Moussa Diaby's corner, continuing France's incredible record of scoring inside the first 25 minutes – they have now scored in that period in 13 of their last 15 EURO matches.

But Boadu levelled early in the second half, albeit with a touch of fortune as Abderrahman Harroui's shot hit him inside the penalty area, but he was able to react quickly to fire in. France dominated late on but Jonathan Ikoné hit the post and Houssem Aouar headed just over, before, with just seconds remaining, Justin Kluivert teed up Boadu to finish off a rapid breakaway and take Netherlands through.

Portugal 5-3aet Italy (Ljubljana)

Substitutes Jota and Francisco Conceição proved decisive as Portugal squeezed through in Ljubljana. Dany Mota spectacularly broke the deadlock early, and then conjured a clinical second. Tommaso Pobega pulled one back for the Azzurrini seconds before the interval, and but for a breathtaking Diogo Costa save to deny Davide Frattesi the game would have been level.

Instead, Gonçalo Ramos deftly steered home Portugal's third, but Gianluca Scamacca responded almost immediately and Cutrone's 89th-minute equaliser took the game into extra time. Matteo Lovato's 91st-minute red card was a blow, but not as crushing as Jota's 109th-minute strike and Francisco Conceição's fifth as Rui Jorge's men set up an Iberian semi-final in Maribor.

Denmark 2-2aet Germany, 5-6pens (Székesfehérvár)

Germany are into their fourth straight U21 semi-final after a dramatic shoot-out victory to settle an epic tie. Germany had the better of the first half but Denmark went close just after the break when Jacob Bruun Larsen raced free but could not beat Finn Dahmen. Bruun Larsen was forced off injured, replaced by 17-year-old Wahid Faghir on 66 minutes, and just three minutes later he showed nifty footwork to open the scoring. However, when an 88th-minute Germany corner was played on by newly-introduced Lars Lukas Mai, Lukas Nmecha, off-balance, somehow turned the ball in.

In the 11th minute of extra time, a deep cross from David Raum was controlled by substitute Jonathan Burkardt, who kept his balance and struck in a fine shot. But after the change of ends, Gustav Isaksen showed trickery in the Germany box, was fouled and captain Victor Nelsson converted. Burkhardt hit the post at the death then was the only Germany player to fail in the shoot-out, but Dahmen's saves from Faghir and Victor Bernth Kristansen gave Jaeckel the chance to dispatch the decisive penalty.