Match report: Kosovo 0-5 England MU21s

England men’s under-21s extended their unbeaten record in UEFA U21 EURO qualification with a 5-0 win over Kosovo. 

Keane Lewis-Potter got the ball rolling after just two minutes with Anthony Gordon doubling the advantage not long after. 

Cameron Archer made it three early in the second half before grabbing his second, with an own goal completing the scoring late on.

England had sealed top spot and qualification by beating Albania 3-0 on Tuesday and made a flying start here. 

Tommy Doyle was the key man early on as England took the lead after just two minutes, playing a brilliant ball down the right to Harvey Elliott. The Liverpool youngster cut onto his left and crossed for Hull City’s Lewis-Potter to head into the corner. 

Ten minutes later, it was again Doyle starting the move with a raking ball to the right to Max Aarons. The Norwich man whipped the cross in for Gordon to nod home. 

Having controlled the first half, England extended their lead shortly after half-time, Elliott finding Archer, who nestled his shot into the corner of the net with an angled finish from the right. 

And he had another with 20 minutes to go, played in by Aston Villa teammate Jacob Ramsey, before sliding the ball home. 

England still had time for one more, a dangerous ball across the box from Luke Thomas causing chaos in the Kosovo defence, with the ball cleared into Ilir Krasniqi and rebounding off the midfielder into his own net. 

England MU21s will now round of their UEFA U21 EURO qualifying campaign on Monday night when they welcome Slovenia to Huddersfield.

Tickets are still available, costing £15 for adults and £5 for concessions, and they are half that price when booked in groups of ten or more.

Kosovo (4-5-1): 1 David Nreca-Bisinger; 5 Leard Sadriu, 4 Valon Zumberi, 2 Andi Hoti, 21 Egzon Rexhaj; 10 Qendrim Zyba, 15 Ilir Krasniqi, 7 Valmir Veliu, 20 Behar Neziri, 23 Altin Zeqiri; 9 Baton Zabergja 

Substitutes: 6 Art Smakaj for Neziri 46’, 18 Ardit Tahiri for Zabergja 60’, 11 Diamant Berisha for Zeqiri 68’, 14 Medon Berisha for Rexhaj 68’, 8 Gentrit Limani for Veliu 78’ 

Substitutes not used: 12 Laurence Shala, 3 Arbnor Aliu, 17 Kreshnik Krasniqi, 19 Andi Janjeva 

Yellow cards: Veliu 40’ 

Manager: Albert Bunjaki 

England (4-3-3): 22 James Trafford (Manchester City); 3 Luke Thomas (Leicester City), 4 James Hill (Bournemouth), 5 Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Manchester City), 2 Max Aarons (Norwich City); 18 Tommy Doyle (Manchester City), 21 Harvey Elliott (Liverpool), 8 Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa); 11 Anthony Gordon (Everton), 14 Cameron Archer (Aston Villa), 23 Keane Lewis-Potter (Hull City) 

Substitutes: 15 Charlie Cresswell (Leeds United) for Harwood-Bellis 46’, 20 Angel Gomes (Lille) for Gordon 56’, 19 James McAtee (Manchester City) for Elliott 72’, 9 Folarin Balogun (Arsenal) for Archer 72’ 

Substitutes not used: 13 Carl Rushworth (Brighton & Hove Albion), 7 Morgan Gibbs-White (Wolverhampton Wanderers), 10 Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal), 16 Ben Johnson (West Ham United), 17 Curtis Jones (Liverpool) 

Goals: Lewis-Potter 2’, Gordon 13’, Archer 52’, 72’, Krasniqi (own goal) 85’ 

Manager: Lee Carsley