England U21s 4-0 France U21s: Second half rout gives Three Lions comfortable win

Emile Smith Rowe, Noni Madueke, Curtis Jones and Jacob Ramsey were all on the score sheet on Saturday night.

England U21s 4-0 France U21s: Second half rout gives Three Lions comfortable win
Noni Madueke of England Under 21s celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 2-0 during the international friendly between England Under 21s and France Under 21s at The King Power Stadium on March 25, 2023 in Leicester, England. (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images)
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By Owen Barnard

England U21s' impressive second half performance saw off France U21s in a 4-0 win at the King Power Stadium.

After a tight and fairly lowkey first half, Emile Smith Rowe put the Three Lions in front 51 minutes in with a header.

Lee Carsley's side had two in as many minutes later on in the game, as Noni Madueke and Curtis Jones combined to score two goals in quick succession.

Jacob Ramsey finished off the scoring with a cool finish to complete a memorable night for England's promising next generation of talent.

England came away from the tie looking as though they had won the match comfortably, when for most of the game it had been a really close affair.

  • Story of the match

Smith Rowe, Djed Spence, Morgan Gibbs-White and Max Aarons were all handed starts by Three Lions manager Carsley, whilst Chelsea's new arrival Madueke was left on the bench.

Sylvain Ripoli's France kicked off with Lille's Lucas Chevalier between the sticks ahead of Illan Meslier, and Crystal Palace's Michael Olise in the front line.

Spence had to be alert to clear a dangerous early attack, which deflected off Amine Adli and behind for a goal kick.

Levi Colwill played a wonderful floated ball into Aarons, but he could not quite bring it under control.

The centre back had to make a vital clearance to stop Les Bleus taking the lead via a driven cross aimed towards the back post soon after.

Harvey Elliott found himself in space, but the Liverpool midfielder could not pick out Cameron Archer who was making a driving run behind the defence.

Rayan Cherki flicked the ball on well to Valentin Gendry as the visitors eased their way past England's midfield, but their momentum was stopped by the Three Lions' defence.

Tottenham's Oliver Skipp looked to play Archer in on goal, but the ball was well intercepted by the France backline.

France in the ascendancy

Cherki dummied the ball cleverly to allow Olise a free shot on goal, but it was comfortably saved by James Trafford.

The Palace forward turned provider to set up Johann Lepenant seconds later, but his shot ballooned over the bar.

Skipp was booked for a cynical foul on Adli, which prevented Les Bleus from breaking forward.

Archer went down in the box on the half an hour mark having been outmuscled by Benoit Badiashile, and referee Joey Kooij was unmoved by the Middlesbrough striker's appeals for a spot kick.

Trafford made a superb save to keep the game goalless as the game approached half time, as Cherki was played in on goal after a quick string of passes.

The 20-year-old got down low quickly to palm the shot away, which Spence cleared straight after.

England had their best chance of the game so far in the 39th minute, when Spence's deflected cross found Archer, who fired goalward, but Chevalier was equal to it at his near post.

The resulting corner was easily cleared by Ripoli's side.

Colwill was fortunate to be given a foul when he went down under very little pressure from Cherki, who had been in on goal with his opponent on the floor.

Manu Kone forced a smart stop from Trafford after cutting in and going for goal, which was tipped over the bar.

Gibbs-White and Smith Rowe combined well in added time to fashion an opening, but neither could quite get a shot away.

It was goalless at the break, and whilst France had more opportunities, the lack of dangerous shots on target had left both sides unable to break the deadlock at the halfway stage.

  • England's incredible second half

Spence started the second half by driving at the heart of the France defence instead of passing to Elliott, but he was tackled.

In the 51st minute England had the lead with a well-worked goal having caught Les Bleus napping.

Skipp stepped up to intercept a loose pass in the middle of the park, which allowed Gibbs-White to play a pinpoint cross to Smith Rowe, who headed home the opener.

Aarons made an important block to deny Cherki, who managed to evade Skipp's challenge and shoot.

Gendrey tried to backheel the ball into a dangerous area in the box, but it was cleared.

Ripoli made a triple change just after the hour mark to try and change the game in his side's favour, introducing Enzo Le Fee, Amine Gouiri and Niels Nkounkou.

Substitute Noni Madueke tried to get onto the end of a long ball, but he was well marshalled away from goal.

He had his goal in the 78th minute to double England's lead, as Curtis Jones played him in and he duly finished by placing the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

They combined again in some style seconds later, as Madueke played a driven cross to Jones, who flicked the ball over Chevalier to make it three.

Jacob Ramsey netted a fourth for England in the 86th minute as he slotted home from close range to complete the thrashing.

  • Player of the match

Having been started on the bench, Madueke came off the bench with a point to prove.

He was one of several players that began on the sideline and ended the night proving their worth, but his intricate play carved Les Bleus apart, combining well with Jones.

It was a showing that will have excited Chelsea fans after his recent transfer to the club.

(Photo by Cameron Smith - The FA/Getty Images)
(Photo by Cameron Smith - The FA/Getty Images)