Pearce’s young lions crash out

ENGLAND produced a nightmare last-gasp collapse to lose to the Czech Republic and crash out of the European U21 Championship last night.

Having drawn their other two group games, England needed a brilliant save from Frankie Fielding to avoid falling behind in the 17th minute, the goalkeeper tipping over Lukas Marecek’s dipping half-volley.

Chances were few and far between and with just over a quarter of the game remaining, Pearce had seen enough, replacing the anonymous Jordan Henderson with Henri Lansbury.

A decent spell of possession 14 minutes from time culminated in a brilliant inswinging cross from the right from Daniel Sturridge, with Danny Welbeck bulleting a header past Tomas Vaclik.

England looked like holding out but disaster struck in the 90th minute.

Marcel Gecov was allowed to carry the ball into the box and his cross took a wicked deflection, allowing Jan Chramosta to fire home. And their misery was complete with the final kick of the game when Tomas Pekhart converted Chramosta’s cross.

Pearce said: “They didn’t really cause us a problem all evening defensively but we switched off for a minute, it falls to their player, and it’s 1-1. The second goal was neither here nor there.”

ENGLAND U21: Fielding, Bertrand, Jones, Smalling, Walker, Muamba, Henderson (Lansbury 64), Sinclair (Rose 87), Welbeck, Sturridge, Cleverley (Albrighton 76).

CZECH REP U21: Vaclik, Celustka, Suchy, Mazuch, Lecjaks, Gecov, Dockal, Marecek, Moravek (Chramosta 83), Kovarik (Cerny 68), Kozak (Pekhart 84).

Referee: Paolo Tagliavento (Italy).