Football Live

Friday September 5, 2008 Finished

2 - 0

England U21

  • Milner 44’ (pen.)
  • Agbonlahor 63’

Portugal U21

  1. U-21s: England beat Portugal

    U-21s: England beat Portugal

    England sealed victory in Group 3 of the European U-21 qualification competition with a dominant 2-0 win over Portugal at Wembley. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • England U21
    • Portugal U21
    • FT FULL TIME: England 2-0 Portugal. A dominant second half performance only brought one more goal for England but it could easily have been more as they took complete control of the match, peppering Rui Patricio's goal with efforts throughout the half.
    • 90+4 Portugal's defence is in tatters. Mark Noble latches onto a Huddlestone through ball and should have scored but shoots tamely and sees his effort saved.
    • 90+3 Another chance for Campbell. A long cross from Huddlestone is met by a spectacular diving header by his Tottenham team-mate. Rui Patricio nearly let it squirm under him but got it away at the second attempt.
    • 86 Final sub for England. Wolves' wing wonder Michael Kightly replaces Adam Johnson.
    • 82 Frazier Campbell receives the ball on the left channel. He shimmies and shakes, leaving two hapless defenders in his wake, before hitting a near post shot. Rui Patricio scuffs it away for a corner. A good cameo from the man on loan at Spurs.
    • 78 England nearly make it three. Adam Johnson latches onto a long ball after sloppy work by Bruno Pereirinha. Johnson slips it past the onrushing keeper but also beyond the far post.
    • 76 England Substitution. Job done for the Three Lions and job done for the excellent Gabby Agbonlahor. On comes Fraizer Campbell.
    • 72 Portuguese Substitution. Stelvio da Cruz replaces the injured Paulo Machado.
    • 72 Chance for Lee Cattermole. A rampaging run from the Wigan midfielder nearly ends in a third goal. Cattermole's shot is parried away by the feet of Rui Patricio.
    • 64 Yellow Card. Lee Cattermole makes an impact after coming on. Too much of an impact for Signor Rocchi's liking.
    • 63 GOAL. Agbonlahor, best player on the night, shows what he can do. Mark Noble springs the offside trap with a neat pass to Agbonlahor on the right. The Villa man runs thirty yards, cutting inside with pace, before bundling it in from the right as Patricio came to close him down.
    • 59 Portuguese Substitution. Daniel Candeias replaces Vieirinha.
    • 59 Vaz Te flicks a header back towards goal from a neat chip by Veloso. Close but no cigar.
    • 58 Mancienne heads wide again. The defender attacks the ball bravely from a corner but his effort flashes past the left post.
    • 56 England Substituition. Fabrice Muamba twists his ankle and has to come off. Lee Cattermole replaces him in a like-for-like switch.
    • 53 Huddlestone free kick from 25 yards. He beats the wall but not Rui Patricio, who turns it around the post.
    • 52 James Milner comes close to doubling his tally. He is left in too much room 25 yards out and takes a hit. The shot is well struck but close to Rui Patricio. The Portuguese keeper makes a meal of it and it flies out for a corner.
    • 46 The second half is underway.
    • 45 Substitution. Joao Moreira replaces Bruno Gama for Portugal.
    • 45 HALF TIME: ENGLAND 1-0 PORTUGAL. James Milner's penalty late in the half separates the sides. Portugal can feel slightly aggrieved after what was largely an even 45 minutes.
    • 45 Yellow Card. A petulant tackle from the frustrated Paulo Machado sees him become the first Portuguese player in Signor Rocchi's book.
    • 44 GOAL. Milner Vs. Rui Patricio. He shoots left; the keeper goes right. England lead.
    • 43 ENGLAND PENALTY. Agbonlahor slips it to Noble, he is stopped but the ball breaks to Fabrice Muamba who is felled by Paulo Machado in the box.
    • 38 England begin to exert some pressure but are found lacking in the final third. A lovely piece of skill from Milner inside the box gave him a window in which to shoot but he prevaricated and the chance past him by.
    • 32 Adam Johnson goes close from 15 yards out. Great work again from Agbonlahor on the left creates the chance allows the Middlesbrough to let fly. A goal kick is awarded but replays suggest Rui Patricio made a subtle save to tip it round the post.
    • 31 Sir Trevor Brooking is interviewed in his seat in the prawn sandwich section, i.e. he could be anywhere at Wembley. He doesn't look entirely pleased to be accosted with a microphone by an irritantingly chirpy blonde chap but gathers his composure to declare the game "a good test as expected" for England.
    • 29 Michael Mancienne heads wide from a Tom Huddlestone free kick. The young Chelsea defender remembers the textbook advice to head down but forgets to look at the ball. Or the target.
    • 28 A mexican wave passes around the half-empty Wembley stadium. Mystifying.
    • 25 Paulo Machado breaks from midfield at pace amidst confusion in the England defence. Mancienne is a statue as Machado hits a vicious shot past Joe Hart's post from 20 yards.
    • 23 After the flurry of half chances in the opening minutes the game is calming down. Bruno Gama's pulled shot is the only recent goalmouth action.
    • 17 Portugal end a spell of pressure with a tame shot from Paulo Machado. The preceding corner saw Joe Hart flap alarmingly at the ball.
    • 12 Gabby Agbonlahor skins Vasco Fernandes and skips to the byline. Forgetting that John Carew isn't in the team, he fires a cross that swoops over the head of Tom Huddlestone.
    • 10 James Milner tests Rui Patricio for the first time from range. It's only a sighter for the Villa man and the keeper clutches it safely to his chest.
    • 8 Ricardo Vaz Te holds off Muamba and lets fly from just outside the box. It's a disappointing effort from a good position, sailing into the Wembley stands.
    • 5 Portugal come close. Joe Hart saves to keep out Vierinha's header from a Portugal corner. He flails his left arm in a camp fashion at the ball but manages to keep it out.
    • 1 We're off. England have started with a 4-3-3.
    • - England are without Man City duo Micah Richards and Adam Johnson. They are replaced by Martin Cranie and Fabrice Muamba.
    • - A draw will be enough for England to top the group which will enhance their chances of securing an easy draw in the Playoff.
    • - Hello and welcome to Eurosport-Yahoo!'s LIVE coverage of the England Under-21s European Championship qualifying clash with Portugal, LIVE from 19:45!

  • Summary

    • 78 England nearly make it three. Adam Johnson latches onto a long ball after sloppy work by Bruno Pereirinha. Johnson slips it past the onrushing keeper but also beyond the far post.
    • 72 Chance for Lee Cattermole. A rampaging run from the Wigan midfielder nearly ends in a third goal. Cattermole's shot is parried away by the feet of Rui Patricio.
    • 63 GOAL. Agbonlahor, best player on the night, shows what he can do. Mark Noble springs the offside trap with a neat pass to Agbonlahor on the right. The Villa man runs thirty yards, cutting inside with pace, before bundling it in from the right as Patricio came to close him down.
    • 44 GOAL. Milner Vs. Rui Patricio. He shoots left; the keeper goes right. England lead.
    • 32 Adam Johnson goes close from 15 yards out. Great work again from Agbonlahor on the left creates the chance allows the Middlesbrough to let fly. A goal kick is awarded but replays suggest Rui Patricio made a subtle save to tip it round the post.
    • 5 Portugal come close. Joe Hart saves to keep out Vierinha's header from a Portugal corner. He flails his left arm in a camp fashion at the ball but manages to keep it out.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Gianluca Rocchi

  • England U21

    Manager: Stuart Pearce

    Captain: Steven Taylor

    Starting line-up

    • J. Hart
    • M. Cranie
    • M. Mancienne
    • S. Taylor
    • A. Taylor
    • T. Huddlestone
    • M. Noble
    • J. Milner
    • F. Muamba Substitution Out (56′)
    • A. Johnson Substitution Out (86′)
    • G. Agbonlahor Goal Substitution Out (76′)

    Subs

    • A. Lennon
    • T. Heaton
    • L. Cattermole Substitution In56′ Yellow Card
    • J. O'Hara
    • R. Stearman
    • M. Kightly Substitution In86′
    • F. Campbell Substitution In76′

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Portugal U21

    Manager: Rui Caçador

    Captain: Bruno Gama

    Starting line-up

    • R. Patricio
    • B. Pereirinha
    • F. Vasco
    • N. Andre
    • G. Brandao
    • M. Fernandes
    • M. Veloso
    • R. Vaz Te
    • P. Machado Yellow Card Substitution Out (72′)
    • .. Vieirinha Substitution Out (58′)
    • B. Gama Substitution Out (45′)

    Subs

    • J. Moreira Substitution In45′
    • D. Candeias Substitution In58′
    • D. Carrico
    • .. Stelvio da Cruz Substitution In72′
    • B. Helder
    • B. Ricardo
    • V. Vinha
    • M. Lopes
    • -. Castro
    • C. Saleiro

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None