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Germany and Spain fought out an entertaining goalless draw in their first match of the European U21 Championships in Sweden.

The match in Gothenburg was not short of action and both sides spurned good chances to take the lead.

Spain had the better possession but Germany created the more clear-cut opportunities with Spain goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo in fine form to deny Mesut Oezil in particular.

The Valladolid shot-stopper made two excellent stops from Oezil, who was the most impressive outfield player on show but could not find a finish to match his good build-up play.

The first stop came just after the hour mark when Ashkan Dejagah sent the Bremen playmaker clean through.

Oezil seemed to do everything right, rounding Asenjo and sliding a low finish from a tight angle to the centre of the goal, but Asenjo - who has been linked with Atletico Madrid - somehow changed his body-shape quickly enough to divert the ball off the line with his legs.

With 10 minutes remaining Oezil had another brilliant chance to win the match but, after he srpung the offside trap to race clean through, he hesitated with the finish to allow Asenjo to make himself big and complete the block.

Spain had their chances though.

Getafe winger Esteban Granero saw a shot inadvertently blocked by the arm of Dennis Aogo, while Manuel Neuer made a superb save at the feet of Chico after a long-range shot from the disappointing Bojan Krkic was deflected into the path of the Almeria defender.

From the resultant corner, Espanyol centre half Marc Torrejon powered a header off the bar but, while the first half hour was Spain's, Germany got back into the match.

A mesmerising solo run from Oezil saw him fire in a near-post shot that Asenjo parried, while Marko Marin ran from halfway to shoot against the outside of the post on the stroke of half-time.

Oezil was finding his rhythm and, soon after the restart, he raced down the right and drilled a low ball across goal that Chico almost hacked into his own net.

The 22-year-old former Schalke starlet did everything right two minutes later, running free and cutting the ball across to Dejagah, but the Iranian-born forward panicked and shot wildly over the bar.

Then came Asenjo's two top-class saves from Oezil who, in injury time, was harshly adjudged offside when he raced on to a defence-splitting pass from Wolfsburg's Dejagah.

The result means Spain and Germany share joint second after England moved to the top of Group B with their 2-1 win over Finland.

Reda Maher / Eurosport