LEE CARSLEY pressed on with his mission to lead a third generation of England Under-21s to European glory with a statement win in Prescov.
Two goals from Stoke City’s on-loan forward Divin Mubama, Ethan Nwaneri’s superb lob and Josh King’s first goal at this level saw England leapfrog Slovakia to the top of qualifying Group D.
It was a result that maintains five wins and five clean sheets in the Young Lions’ quest to become the first U-21s side in history to achieve a three-peat of Euro crowns after the 2023 and 2025 triumphs.
A fluent team move was worked up from defence into Tyrique George whose cross was headed home by Manchester City wizkid Mubama, 21, in the 18th minute.
Just 30 seconds after the restart, Slovakia keeper Adam Hrdina clawed the ball off his line after a shot rebounded off the post, before Jobe Bellingham headed over the bar from a corner.
A moment of magic saw England take cruise control when Arsenal teenager Nwaneri, 18, lifted the ball over the onrushing keeper after latching onto Sydie Peck’s brilliant ball over the top.
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Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Rico Lewis worked together down the right to tee up Fulham ace King, who calmly tucked the ball into the bottom corner minutes after coming on.
Mubama was frustrated to have a curling effort kept out, before the striker grabbed his fifth goal in five games under Carsley with a composed finish from King’s assist in the 86th minute.
The Man City loanee has amassed a total of five goals and one assist in 16 appearances with Stoke this season.
Nwaneri, on the other hand, counts one goal in nine appearances across all competitions with Arsenal.
Meanwhile, England’s Under-17s World Cup dreams came to a crashing end in Doha.
The U-17s suffered a 4-0 defeat to Austria in the last-16, with all four goals coming in the second-half.
The collapse began when, shortly after Austria’s opener, ex-Saints youngster Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez was sent off for a studs-up challenge on the keeper.
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