Report from European U21 Championships as early goals from Cameron Archer and Harvey Elliott see England win their group with a perfect record after beating Germany 2-0; Germans dumped out of tournament without winning a game
Wednesday 28 June 2023 19:39, UK
England Under-21s made it three wins from three and dumped Germany out of the European Under-21 Championship with a 2-0 win in their final group game in Batumi.
Two goals in the opening 21 minutes from Cameron Archer and Harvey Elliott were enough to secure another three points as England topped Group C with maximum points while holders Germany were sent crashing out without a win to their name.
England made an explosive start and hit the front after just four minutes when Jacob Ramsey's clever through ball found Archer and he calmly tucked the ball past Noah Atubolu to make it 1-0.
The Young Lions nearly doubled their advantage six minutes later when the ball fell to Ramsey inside the area but his low drive went wide of the far post.
Lee Carsley's side did make it two in the 21st minute thanks to a wonderful solo effort from Elliott. The Liverpool midfielder collected the ball inside his own half, drove at the German defence into the penalty area before coolly slotting home to make it 2-0.
Germany needed to win to have any chance of qualifying and their first chance came on the half-hour mark but Brentford forward Kevin Schade's shot from inside the area found the hands of James Trafford.
Schade was Germany's main threat and he had another chance to pull one back just before half-time when he sprinted down the right-hand side but saw his effort tipped away by the keeper.
Germany may have been facing an early exit but they posed little threat in the second half as England continued to probe, with half-chances falling to Cole Palmer after Elliott had forced a great save from Atubolu.
James Garner came close to a third with 15 minutes to go after some neat link-up play but the Everton midfielder could not steer his effort on target from close range.
Germany's best chance of the game came three minutes from time when Finn Ole Becker's powerful deflected effort was palmed away by Trafford, who secured another clean sheet alongside three straight 2-0 wins.
England face Group A runners-up Portugal in the quarter-finals in Kutaisi on Sunday night; kick-off 8pm.
