MAGICIAN EMBLETON INSPIRES U19 VICTORY
SUNDERLAND MIDFIELD STARLET HITS CRACKER AS ENGLAND U19S START EUROS IN STYLE
Sunderland starlet Elliot Embleton scored and played a pivotal role as England Under-19s opened the defence of their European Championship crown with victory last night.
Embleton, 19, grabbed the goal of the game, and had a hand in the other two Three Lions strikes, in an entertaining 3-2 Group B victory over Turkey in Finland.
Yet the group opener started poorly for Paul Simpson’s men as Guven Yalcin headed over keeper Ellery Balcombe to give Turkey a third-minute lead.
The Turks looked well up for the game, but England rallied and equalised on 22 minutes, with Embleton firing in a low free-kick and Tottenham’s Japhet Tanganga converting from six yards.
Embleton and George Hirst teamed up well to give Tanganga another chance to score, but his effort was blocked, before Middlesbrough’s Marcus Tavernier rattled the post with a ferocious volley.
Embleton then intercepted a pass in midfield to help set up a second England goal, right on half-time, playing a super through pass for Nottingham Forest striker Ben Brereton, who shot home in style.
Midfielder Embleton extended the lead to 3-1 on 55 minutes, picking up Tavernier’s fine pass and getting the better of a defender before curling a magnificent, leftfooted effort into the top corner of the net.
Metehan Guclu pulled one back, but England held on to see out the win.
The Three Lions next meet Ukraine, who beat France 2-1, on Friday.
Steven Gerrard admitted he has concerns about Rangers’ shot-shy strike-force after their stalemate with FK Shkupi in Macedonia last night.
The Ibrox club squeezed into the second Europa League qualifying round 2-0 on aggregate following a goalless second leg in Skopje, but new boss Gerrard confessed afterwards that he was worried about his side’s lack of cutting edge.
“I’m a bit mixed right now,” the former Liverpool captain said.
“We’re pleased with one side of the game but there is certainly a hell of a lot of work to do on the other side.
“Out of possession we were good, our shape was good. We were aggressive and I’m pleased with the clean sheet. Allan McGregor and my two centre-backs (Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic) were outstanding.”
The hosts rarely looked capable of troubling the Scottish side, but visiting goalkeeper Allan McGregor did have to produce a crucial stop late on to ensure Shkupi were not thrown a last-gasp glimmer of hope.
Rangers next face either Petrocub of Moldova or Croatian side Osijek.