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Under 21s Start With a 2-1 Win Over Finland

England Under 21s got off to a great start at the Under-21 Euros by beating Finland 2-1 with ten men. Nine and a half minutes of highlights above, but worth a watch if you have time.


Stuart Pearce started with this lineup:

Joe Hart; Martin Cranie, Kieran Gibbs, Michael Mancienne, Micah Richards; Lee Cattermole, James Milner, Fabrice Muamba, Mark Noble(c); Theo Walcott, Gabriel Agbonlahor

Cattermole gave us the lead after just fifteen minutes, getting the ball over the line after a nice Agbonlahor burst and cut back.

Michael Mancienne rugby tackled a Finnish striker on the half hour mark, getting himself sent off and allowing Tim Sparv to equalize from the penalty spot.

But the Stuart Pearce made a ballsy move at half-time, subbing off the ineffectual Walcott for Frazier Campbell and going two up front, three in midfield and four at the back. He was rewarded when Micah Richards headed home a James Milner cross in the 53rd, and England held on until full time.

Nice quote from Pearce about his half-time decision:

“You have to go with your gut feeling as a manger. It’s bittersweet at half-time because it’s 1-1 and we’re down to 10 men. If I put two strikers on and we lost people would have said ‘What are you doing?’

“They are a good set of players and know if we want to pick up the trophy then everyone at times has to fall on their sword and support the other players. That is exactly what Theo does. That is the gentleman he is.” “I wanted to win the match. It was a bold call. It may have been easier going 4-4-1 but I thought we could trouble them with (Gabriel) Agbonlahor and [Fraizer] Campbell, but I needed a solid three behind them. For me to achieve the formation I wanted Theo had to come off the pitch.”

Spain and Germany drew 0-0 earlier in the day, so the group table now looks like this:


Our next game is vs Spain on Thursday, but bad news is that Mancienne will be suspended while Micah Richards is doubtful after getting injured towards the end of today’s win.

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Comments
By diana | June 16th, 2009 at 7:35 am
Top

And after watching how Spain played against Germany, Stuart Pearce’s side got their work cut out for them in the next match. When I was watching the match against Finland, my heart was in my mouth half the time.

Posted from Singapore Singapore

By Anony | June 18th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Top

Milner has a penalty saved :(

By Anony | June 18th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Top

Yesss!!! Campbell good feet and great finish!

1-0 to england! Were almost through to the semi-finals! :D

By Anony | June 18th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Top

2-0

The spanish player actually thought he could keep up with walcott….such naivety :D

By Peter | June 18th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Top

England are overrated. Spain was much poorer than their first game and that was only average. Spain could easily have taken the lead today and the game would have been much different. England can keep thinking the world of themselves it will be quarterfinal exit as usual.

Posted from United States United States

By Anony | June 19th, 2009 at 1:38 am
Top

^ Firstly, there isnt a quaterfinal. Secondly scoring twice and missing a penalty, while the opponent hardly gets a shot on target…i wonder what you see as “good”. Maybe brazil circa 1970?

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