{"id":46309,"date":"2025-03-21T18:56:48","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T22:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/sport\/france-u21-5-3-england-u21\/21\/03\/2025\/"},"modified":"2025-03-21T18:56:48","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T22:56:48","slug":"france-u21-5-3-england-u21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/sport\/france-u21-5-3-england-u21\/21\/03\/2025\/","title":{"rendered":"France U21 5 – 3 England U21"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hugo Ekitike\u2019s hat-trick spoiled Lee Carsley\u2019s return as England U21 coach as France beat his 10-man team 5-3 in Lorient.<\/p>\n
James McAtee scored a quick opener but England’s lead was temporary, with goals from Quentin Merlin and Ekitike turning things around.<\/p>\n
Harvey Elliott levelled but Ekitike, who has 13 goals for Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt this season, got two more before Liam Delap’s header made it 4-3.<\/p>\n
However, Rayan Cherki – who delivered two assists – got in on the act himself to seal the win, after Elliott had blasted a penalty over the bar.<\/p>\n
A bad night for the visitors was capped when Omari Hutchinson came off the bench and was shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Thierno Barry.<\/p>\n
England stormed into the lead after just 90 seconds courtesy of a well-worked set-piece routine. Elliott’s corner was flicked on by Delap and the unmarked McAtee was well-positioned to smash home from close-range.<\/p>\n
But England’s lead was short-lived and they were caught napping from the restart as the hosts levelled in the fourth minute. Cherki drilled a precise first-time pass into the path of surging left-back Merlin, who held off his marker and finished into the far corner.<\/p>\n
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<\/div>\n Image:<\/span> \n Elliot Anderson looks dejected after defeat in Lorient \n <\/span> \n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
It was 2-1 to the hosts three minutes later when Lyon’s Cherki continued his fine creative display with an inch-perfect pass over the defence, which Ekitike finished over James Beadle.<\/p>\n
Ekitike made it 3-1 in the 35th minute when he got the decisive touch after Wilson Odobert beat Rico Lewis on the outside and smashed a ball across the face of the box, only for Elliot to pull a goal back two minutes later with a close-range header following good work by Elliot Anderson and McAtee.<\/p>\n
England’s shaky defence was breached again 10 minutes into the second half as Ekitike claimed his hat-trick with another tap-in.<\/p>\n
But Delap headed in from six yards just past the hour and, when Lewis was fouled in the area, they had a chance to level. However, Elliott’s penalty was well over the bar.<\/p>\n
Cherki completed the scoring with 14 minutes remaining with a shot through Beadle’s legs, before Hutchinson saw red five minutes from time.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n