England U21s put themselves one step closer to Euro qualification, thanks to a 2-1 win over Latvia in Jelgava.
Goals from Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount, on his U21s debut, saw Aidy Boothroyd’s men come from behind to pick up three points and put them within touching distance of next summer’s Euro Finals in Italy.
With Scotland beating the Netherlands just hours after this result, it means England sit five points clear of the Auld Enemy in top spot of the group with two games to play so a victory against Andorra in Chesterfield next month will be enough to seal their spot at the Finals.
The Young Lions had to really show their character too, on a difficult pitch and against a determined opposition.
And England were dealt an early blow when the hosts took a shock lead after 28 minutes.
The chance came when Kyle Walker-Peters slipped, allowing Raivis Jurkovskis a clear run on goal. He drew Dean Henderson out, before lifting his finish over the England keeper to put Latvia in front.
England hit straight back and were level just over ten minutes later. Walker-Peters atoned for his earlier slip to play Mount through on the right. The Derby County loanee drove a ball into the box, which Abraham flicked on and over Kristaps Zommers to get the Young Lions up and running.
Latvia proved to be stern opposition though as Boothroyd’s men kept pressing only to find Zommers in good form again, with a double-save to deny Dom Solanke and Abraham in quick succession on the hour mark.
Zommers wasn’t quite so impressive three minutes later when he fumbled a cross from Mount, but Abraham couldn’t convert the loose ball.
The pressure paid off though as England took the lead with just over 15 minutes remaining, with Solanke setting up Mount, who calmly put his side one step closer to the Euros.
England: 1 Dean Henderson (Sheffield United, loan from Manchester United), 18 Kyle Walker-Peters (Tottenham Hotspur), 15 Jake Clarke-Salter (Vitesse Arnhem, loan from Chelsea), 16 Fikayo Tomori (Derby County, loan from Chelsea), 12 Jonjoe Kenny (Everton), 8 Kieran Dowell (Everton), 17 Tom Davies (Everton), 21 Ade Lookman (Everton), 20 Dominic Solanke (Liverpool), 19 Mason Mount (Derby County, loan from Chelsea), 23 Tammy Abraham (Aston Villa, loan from Chelsea)
Substitutes: 11 Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham) for Lookman 63, 9 Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton) for Abraham 80, 14 Josh Onomah (Sheffield Wednesday, loan from Tottenham Hotspur) for Calvert-Lewin 89
Substitutes not used: 13 Angus Gunn (Southampton), 4 Lewis Cook (AFC Bournemouth), 5 Dael Fry (Middlesbrough), 10 James Maddison (Leicester City)
Head coach: Aidy Boothroyd
Goals: Tammy Abraham 40, Mason Mount 73
