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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Simon Bird

Eddie Nketiah becomes England U21s record scorer with 14th Young Lions strike

Eddie Nketiah fired himself into the record books as England U21s all-time top scorer – as the Young Lions secured their place at the Euro U21 finals next year.

The Arsenal star thought he had blown his chance of a 14 goal in the U21 shirt when he fired an 85 minute penalty against the post.

But he made amends three minutes later when he was played in by Ryan Sessegnon and dinked home.

He jumped one clear of Alan Shearer and Francis Jeffers on 13 and has done it in just 12 games.

Nketiah said: "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 is a dream come true."

Nketiah scores his 14th goal for England U21s (Action Images via Reuters)

The U21s 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.

Gareth Southgate has capped 19 kids from the U21 during his reign, and the production line continues to impress - here Aaron Ramsdale and James Justin were the pick along with Nketiah.

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 Ryan 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.

The finals will be played in two blocks, the group stage in Hungary and Slovenia in the last week of March. The quarters, semi final and final take place in the first week of June.

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 Dervisoglu's long ranger.

Then he stopped a wrongly awarded penalty after Dervisoglu dived under challenge from the keeper to win the kick. Ramsdale got his revenge.

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 last week.

Nketiah had a tap in disallowed for offside in the first half after Jay Da Silva'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.

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