Duncan Watmore comes off bench to inspire England Under-21s to victory

16 November 2015 20:31

England Under-21s have defeated Switzerland 3-1 to go three points clear in first place of Group 9 in their bid to qualify for the 2017 European Championship.

Switzerland's goal late in the first half from Shani Tarashaj looked likely to secure victory until substitute Duncan Watmore inspired England's comeback by winning the penalty from which James Ward-Prowse equalised, scoring the goal that gave them the lead, and then setting up Chuba Akpom for their third to leave England with 10 points from their opening four games.

Nathaniel Chalobah surprisingly started for Gareth Southgate's team, having previously been ruled out in the manager's belief that the two yellow cards he had been given during their three previous qualification fixtures meant he was suspended. Southgate later learned the rule had been changed to three bookings, and started him in central defence where he is so short of options.

Worryingly, his squad also looks thin elsewhere. Six months ago, he could select Jack Butland, John Stones, Saido Berahino and Harry Kane in his team, but each is no longer available at under-21 level, and with Eric Dier and Dele Alli also now with the senior team, injuries to Nathan Redmond, Jordon Ibe and James Wilson leave the under-21s with minimal attacking threat.

Southgate's team were neat, fluid and composed in possession - often more so than the senior team - but, owing to their lack of a focal point and pace in the final third, until Watmore's introduction they rarely threatened.

Solly March came close in the eighth minute with a curling, left-footed effort from the edge of the area that went just high and wide of the far left post but from then until half-time England were uninspiring, with Lewis Baker's shot from midfield , well within reach of Switzerland goalkeeper and captain Yvon Nganoma, their only effort on target.

An acrobatic finish from the visiting Haris Tabakovic found the back of the net but was rightly ruled offside, yet even as Southgate's team lost belief the Swiss goal-threat proved no greater.

Their goal, on the stroke of half-time, simply came from a hopeful long pass. Leonardo Bertone sent the loose ball clear from defence and, reading its flight and noting the run of the onrushing Jordan Pickford, Tarashaj calmly lobbed the far-from-calm England goalkeeper. The collision with Pickford injured him in the process.

In his pursuit of an equalising goal, Southgate introduced Akpom for March early in the second half, and Watmore for the disappointing Ruben Loftus-Cheek soon after, and though with hi s first touch Watmore struck over the bar from close range, after another he was brought down by Nganoma to win an 82nd-minute penalty.

Ward-Prowse sent the ball into the bottom right beyond Nganoma, and with a draw then looking likely Watmore gave them the lead.

From the edge of the area after receiving possession from Matt Targett, the forward sent a shot goalwards and watched as Manuel Akanji deflected it beyond his own goalkeeper into the back of the net.

Finally, in the 91st minute and from a similar position to his goal, Watmore ran inside the Swiss penalty, looked up, and cut the ball back into Akpom's path for a simple, close-range finish that took the result beyond doubt.

Source: PA