NKETIAH HITS SHEAR HEIGHTS

EDDIE NKETIAH fired himself into the record books as England Under-21s all-time top scorer as the Young Lions secured their place at the Euro U-21 finals next March and June.

The Arsenal star thought he had blown his chance of a 14th goal in the U-21 shirt when he fired an 85th-minute penalty against the post.

But he made amends three minutes later when he was played in by Ryan Sessegnon, dinked home and celebrated (above) to jump one clear of Alan Shearer and Francis Jeffers on 13 – and he has done it in just 12 games.

Nketiah said: “It It is amazing. It was nice to get the three points firstly – but to get the record and be alongside those names and players, it’s a dream r come true.”

The U-21s have a habit of cruising through this bi-annual qualifying process and are now unbeaten in 43 games during qualifying and play-off games over nine years.

Senior boss Gareth Southgate has capped 19 kids from the U-21s during his reign and the production line continues to impress – here Aaron Ramsdale and James Justin were the pick, along with Nketiah.

Manager Aidy Boothroyd is likely to take this winning side which includes Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-odoi and Jude Bellingham to the finals, where England need to buck the recent trend of underachievement.

They took the lead after good play from Sessegnon who broke down the left wing after 17 minutes. Oliver Skipp switched play, drilling wide to full-back Justin, who had an excellent game, winning England’s penalty.

The Leicester man sent Sessegnon into the box with a sharp pass and the on-loan Hoffenheim winger’s cross was deflected for an own goal off the knee of Turkey centre-back Huseyin Turkmen.

Sheffield United keeper Ramsdale was England’s star man and was at his best to keep Turkey at bay in the second half.

He was at full stretch to palm away Ahmet Canbaz’s swerving drive before half-time and saved brilliantly from Halil Dervisog Dervisoglu’s long-range effo effort. Then he st stopped a w wronglyawarded penalty (left) after D Dervisoglu div dived under challenge h ll from the keeper to win the kick. Dervisoglu scored an injury-time consolation.

Boothroyd wanted the job completed here and brought back his big guns after the embarrassing

3-3 draw with Andorra.

Nketiah had a tap-in disallowed for offside in the first half after Jay Dasilva’s shot and another chalked off after the break thanks to an incorrect offside call in the build-up.

Turkey pressed for a leveller and were on top in the last 20 minutes. ENGLAND: Ramsdale 8, Aarons 7, Godfrey 6, Guehi 6, Justin 7, Bellingham 6, Dasilva 6 (Eze 63, 7), Skipp 7, Hudson-odoi 7 (Mcneil 85), Sessegnon 7, Nketiah 7.