Leeds United star shines for country but heartbreaking end in front of record crowd

Summerville has been away with the Netherlands under-21s squad at the under-21s Euros and the Dutch needed to win Tuesday’s group stage finale against co-hosts Georgia to guarantee a place in the quarter-finals.

Summerville played the full duration of the contest on the left flank and was a constant threat but a wondergoal from Georgia’s Zuriko Davitashvili sealed the hosts a 1-1 draw which led to the Netherlands being knocked out after finishing Group A in third place.

Summerville lined up on the left of a front four which featured Ajax pair Brian Brobbey and Kenneth Taylor through the middle and Royal Antwerp's Jurgen Ekkelenkamp on the right. But Georgia kicked off already top of the group in front of partisan home support and a record crowd for an under-21s Euros finals match of 43,004 at the Boris Paichadze Dinamo Stadium in Tiblisi.

Much to their frustration, the Dutch made a very bright start and Summerville was heavily involved, his pass down the left flank in the first minute leading to a corner which he took himself and played short before receiving the ball once more and darting into the box.

The Leeds winger was eventually tackled for another corner which came to nothing but the Netherlands were well on top and Taylor was twice denied by the post inside the opening six minutes with headers from crosses from the right.

Summerville continued to be heavily involved, either side of a break in play for a dog running on to the pitch which was quickly picked up and escorted.

After another neat ball down the left channel, Summerville was clattered on the knee by Georgia’s Nodar Lominadze and initially looked in pain but the 21-year-old was soon back on his feet and continued to have a very positive impact.

A fine turn and run out of defence in the 19th minute was followed by a through pass for Brobbey who was fouled and unable to continue which meant the introduction of Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee.

Moments later, Summerville was then inches away from giving his side a 25th-minute lead when seizing upon a loose ball on the edge of the box and producing a curling effort that whistled just past the post. The Leeds winger sunk to the turf in frustration but he continued to cause problems down the left flank.

Summerville again went close with his second attempt at goal on the half-hour mark from another one-two at a short corner which ended with his shot hitting the side netting. The Whites attacker again temporarily looked injured in the 36th minute when caught on the edge of the box but the challenge was not deemed a foul and the Leeds man eventually continued after having treatment.

A third attempt at goal arrived in the 40th minute as Summerville jinked inside from the left and went for a spectacular finish from 20 yards out that flew well over the bar. But the Dutch were left stunned in the 42nd minute when Davitashvili netted with a sublime solo goal, picking up the ball just inside his own half and beating five men before applying a neat side footed finish upon arriving in the box.

Yet the Netherlands equalised in the fifth and final minute of first half stoppage time as Taylor finally got his goal with a fine finish from inside the area as Georgia failed to clear a cross, producing the shot just in front of Summerville who was also arriving on the scene.

There were no Netherlands changes during the interval and Summerville immediately threatened once more after the restart with two jinking runs in from the left flank for two attacks that Georgia eventually cleared.

Brilliant defensive work then followed as the Whites attacker sprinted back to tackle Giorgi Tsitaishvili as the hosts raced away down the right. Soon back on the attack, a Summerville shot from the edge of the box was then blocked.

A clever pass then picked out Taylor whose cross flew through the box before being cleared and Summerville pulled the trigger again seconds later with another curler from the edge of the area that flew just over.

Next up the Leeds man was back on corners duty, producing an out swinger which was met by Micky van de Ven who could only head over the bar. The Leeds winger was seeing plenty of the ball and continued to pose a threat, popping up on the opposite side of the pitch as the Dutch threw men forward in search of a winner.

Boss Erwin van de Looi opted to make a triple change with time running out in the 74th minute but Summerville not surprisingly survived considering his continued threat. An attempt at a jinking run towards goal from the left of the area then ended with Summerville being tackled and another two changes followed as van de Looi made his final roll of the dice.

But his side’s evening was summed up in the 93rd minute when Summerville’s shot hit his own keeper Bart Verbruggen who had been sent up for a set piece although Georgia were unable to capitalise with the counter. The co-hosts, though, had done enough to put themselves through and the Netherlands players dropped to the turf upon the full time whistle as they faced up to being knocked out in the group stages.