England Under 21s make perfect start to Euros title defence, with Harvey Elliott on target in 3-1 victory over Czechia
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If Lee Carsley cares to indulge in omens then here under the lights in Slovakia, England produced a good one with a 3-1 win over Czechia.
Two years ago England started the Under-21 Euros with a 2-0 win as the designated 'away' team against the Czechs. Five games later they were lifting the trophy for the first time in almost 40 years.
Here there was to be no perfect shutout, that was ruined by Czech striker Daniel Fila heading in early in the second half, but for all of Carsley's angst at a 'clunky' and 'unorganised' start to this Euros title defence, what was served up was thrills and spills from a new group ready to go back-to-back.
'I think it was a brilliant start,' Carsley said. 'We have to bear in mind that this team hasn't played together; this is effectively our almost first pre-season game.
'I thought the players were excellent. Some of the things we put in place, how they expressed themselves, they should be really pleased.'
The absence of Liam Delap from this tournament, missing due to joining Chelsea at the Club World Cup after his £30million summer move, always felt a bigger deal to everybody else than Carsley since England arrived here in Slovakia.
Just as he did two years ago en route to a first Under-21 Euros title in 39 years, Carsley again leaned on his innovation and his penchant for false nines in a 4-2-2-2 system.
It was Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke two years ago in Georgia and this time the responsibility had been passed on to Jonathan Rowe and James McAtee, wearing the captain’s armband after turning his back on the Club World Cup with Manchester City.
With Omari Hutchinson operating as an inverted No 10 off the left and Harvey Elliott off the right, fluidity was king for Carsley and England.
And while Elliot Anderson found himself booked after just 16 seconds for a rash challenge, this was a cool and composed start to England’s title defence. With only two survivors from the 2023 winners, no sign of being weighed down by the pressure here.
Hutchinson forced the first big save from Czech Republic goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek just nine minutes in with a fizzing strike after cutting in onto his right, before Elliott was left to rue a fluffed three-on-two after an error from Stepan Chaloupek.
But Elliott, who was cut adrift in the first half before a positional tweak from Carsley 20 minutes in, made up for his earlier indecision by drilling England into a lead just before the break.
Brilliant work again by Tino Livramento, who was a real standout, saw his cross deflected to the back post and a cushioned pass back into Elliott was drilled home by the Liverpool man.
The Czech Republic, again facing England to start successive tournaments and without an opening win since beating Ukraine in 2011, had their moments.
A VAR check for a penalty in the closing moments of the half gave this very partisan crowd a glimmer of hope, while they rued wasting numerous chances from Chaloupek and Vaclav Sejk during those rare England lapses of concentration.
The Czechs gave England pause for thought when they answered Jonathan Rowe making it 2-0 from close range with a header by Fila.
Nwaneri and Jay Stansfield sparked life back into England when changes were made and any lingering nerves, for there some on the England bench, were eased when Charlie Cresswell nodded in with 15 minutes to go from Alex Scott’s corner.
