Report: England MU21s 1-0 Andorra

England moved to the top of Group D and maintained their 100 percent UEFA EURO 2027 qualification record after a comfortable 1-0 win over Andorra at Pride Park.

Tyrique George’s thunderous first-half strike put Lee Carsley’s side ahead, and although it was the only goal of the game, the home side were in control of proceedings from start to finish.

The result means England have now scored seven times in their trio of qualification matches thus far and are also yet to concede a goal.

England dominated possession from the off at the home of Derby County and created the first chance of the game after seven minutes.

George played a neat one-two with Rico Lewis on the left edge of Andorra’s penalty area, but the 19 year old couldn’t guide his effort inside the far post.

The Young Lions were comfortable on the ball throughout the first half and grew into the first 45 minutes more and more as Ethan Nwaneri’s attempted drive was easily dealt with by Marc De Castro in the Andorran net.

Jamie Gittens fired wide from a similar position as Chelsea teammate George on 24 minutes after good work from Jobe Bellingham, Archie Gray and Nwaneri in the build-up, but England continued to up the ante.

The hosts’ first corner of the match resulted in a hectic goalmouth clearance from the Andorran defence before Joshua King had the ball in the net – cooly stroking home from inside the box – only for his effort to be ruled out for offside after Gittens’ shot was partially blocked.

As the pressure grew on the visitors’ backline, Brooke Norton-Cuffy had a golden chance to open the scoring after being picked out by Gittens’ dipping pinpoint cross, but the Genoa man couldn’t keep his shot on target.

But as half time in the East Midlands approached, the reigning UEFA EURO U21 champions broke the deadlock as George smashed the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle on the left following Gittens’ step over.

The second half started as the first had ended: with England in the ascendancy.

King’s sharp strike caused De Castro problems, despite it being straight at the shot-stopper, and George was denied a second after his effort on the turn was cut out by Gerard Sola on the line.

Gittens’ forced a good save from De Castro at his near post as England searched for a second goal.

The man between the Andorran sticks was once again called upon as he got down low to deny Norton-Cuffy before Yedid Santaella registered his side’s first shot on target with ten minutes remaining.

Substitute Sydie Peck almost doubled England’s lead but his deflected freekick span narrowly wide of the post as De Castro was left stranded.

The scoreline remained 1-0 come the full-time whistle, and the team in white will now shift their focus to the Republic of Ireland who are next up in November.

England: 1 James Beadle (Birmingham City), 2 Rico Lewis (Manchester City), 3 Max Alleyne (Watford), 5 Ashley Phillips (Stoke City), 7 Jobe Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), 10 Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal), 11 Jamie Gittens (Chelsea), 14 Archie Gray (Tottenham Hotspur), 15 Brooke Norton-Cuffy (Genoa), 18 Joshua King (Fulham), 21 Tyrique George (Chelsea)

Substitutes: 20 Tyler Dibling (Everton) for Gittens 67’, 9 Divin Mubama (Stoke City) for King 67’, 23 Sydie Peck (Sheffield United) for Nwaneri 78’, 12 Tom Watson (Brighton & Hove Albion) for George 90+1’

Substitutes not used: 13 Tommy Simkin (Leyton Orient), 16 Thierry Small (Preston North End), 19 Kellen Fisher (Norwich City), 4 Joshua Acheampong (Chelsea), 17 Romain Esse (Crystal Palace)

Goals: George 41’

Yellow cards: Gray 56’

Head coach: Lee Carsley

Andorra: 13 Marc De Castro, 21 Marc Rodriguez, 5 Alex Cornella, 3 Daniel Vieira, 15 Guillem Acosta, 11 Nil Linares Boutarfas, 7 Jan Guma, 10 Ot Remolins, 8 Hugo Ferreira Silva, 23 Yedid Santaella, 9 Gerard Sola

Substitutes: 14 Ivan Dominguez for Sola 57’, 22 Marc Torne for Ferreira Silva 74’, 17 Albert Bisbal for Linares Boutarfas 74’, 16 Marcel Carrau for Guma 87’, 6 Pere Simonet for Remolins 87’

Substitutes not used: 1 Adria Cornella, 4 Dani De Lima, 2 Pau Miranda, 19 Jan Rodriguez

Yellow cards: Torne 82’, M. Rodriguez 90+4’

Head coach: Eloy Casals