England Under-21s missed the opportunity to book their place in the knockout stage of the European Championship after a goalless draw with Slovenia. Despite dominating large spells of the match, England were left frustrated by missed chances and the resilience of Slovenia’s goalkeeper Martin Turk, who produced a series of impressive saves.
Slovenia, needing a result to keep their slim hopes of progressing alive, began the match with purpose. Svit Seslar was a constant threat and nearly opened the scoring early on with a dangerous free-kick that deflected just wide. He later forced James Beadle into action with a fierce low shot, which the England goalkeeper stopped well with his legs.
England created their first big chance in the 20th minute when captain James McAtee scuffed a shot wide from close range. Shortly after, Jonathan Rowe danced past his marker and squared a perfect ball for Ethan Nwaneri, but the young forward squandered what should have been a simple finish.
The closest England came in the first half was through Harvey Elliott, who was brilliantly picked out by Elliot Anderson. Elliott chipped the onrushing Turk only to see the ball rebound off the post. Moments later, another opportunity came when Tino Livramento found McAtee in the six-yard box, but his shot was well saved by Turk, who seemed unbeatable on the night.
Slovenia nearly made England pay after the break. Seslar again tried his luck from distance, curling a strike that Beadle did well to push away. England responded by injecting fresh energy, particularly through substitute Omari Hutchinson, whose cross found Elliott, but the Liverpool midfielder headed off target.
In stoppage time, England had one last chance to snatch victory. Brooke Norton-Cuffy delivered a precise cross to Jack Hinshelwood, whose powerful header was acrobatically tipped behind by Turk to preserve the draw for Slovenia.
Despite controlling possession and creating the better chances, England were ultimately left to rue their lack of finishing. The result means they will need at least a draw in their final group game against Germany to secure qualification for the next round. Germany, meanwhile, confirmed their place in the knockout stage with a 4-2 win over the Czech Republic, eliminating the Czechs in the process.
Post-match, the England players acknowledged their missed opportunities, with McAtee and Beadle both expressing frustration but maintaining belief in their team’s chances. England will return to action on Wednesday with the goal of topping the group still within reach, but they must be more clinical if they are to progress deep into the tournament.England Held by Resilient Slovenia as Missed Chances Delay Euro U21 Progress
