Live Commentary: England U21 Kick Off European Championship Title Defence Against Czech Republic U21
The Young Lions are set to kick off their title defense at the UEFA U21 European Championship, starting with a match against the Czech Republic this week. England, who won the trophy two years ago and secured their first silverware in 40 years, are back in Slovakia to try their luck again.
Lee Carsley, the manager who led them to victory, is still at the helm as he aims to repeat that success. This time around, he's leading an impressive squad filled with young talent. Standout players include Harvey Elliott, Ethan Nwaneri, Elliot Anderson, Jobe Bellingham, and Archie Gray, among others.
England's campaign gets underway with the Czech Republic, followed by clashes against Slovenia and Germany in Group B. If you'd like to catch the action live, tune into talkSPORT 2 or watch it free-to-air on Channel 4.
Manchester City's James McAtee will be captain for the game, with Tino Livramento and Jarrell Quansah also expected to shine. You can catch talkSPORT's live commentary of the match on Thursday, June 9, starting at 8 PM UK time.
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Squads
England U21
Goalkeepers: James Beadle, Teddy Sharman-Lowe, Tommy SimkinDefenders: Charlie Cresswell, Ronnie Edwards, CJ Egan-Riley, Tino Livramento, Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Jarell QuansahMidfielders: Elliott Anderson, Jobe Bellingham, Archie Gray, Hayden Hackney, Jack Hinshelwood, James McAtee, Tyler Morton, Alex ScottForwards: Harvey Elliott, Omari Hutchinson, Sam Iling Junior, Ethan Nwaneri, Jonathan Rowe, Jay Stansfield
Czech Republic U21
Goalkeepers: Jiri Borek, Lukas Hornicek, Jan KoutnyDefenders: Jan Paluska, Ondrej Kricfalusi, Martin Suchomel, Stepan Chaloupek, Patrik Vydra, Denis Halinksy, Filip Prebsl, Karel Sapcil, Josef KozeluhMidfielders: Adam Karabec, Matej Sin, Alexandr Sojka, Krystof Danek, Denis Visinsky, Daniel LanghamerForwards: Daniel Fila, Vaclav Sejk, Vojtech Stransky, Filip Vecheta, Matej Hadas
Group Stage Fixture Schedule
Group Stage
- Thursday June 12: Czech Republic vs England - 8 PM
- Sunday June 15: England vs Slovenia - 8 PM
- Wednesday June 18: England vs Germany - 8 PM
What has been said?
England U21 coach Carsley expressed his eagerness to defend the title and instill a winning mentality in the next generation of England players. He believes these young talents are accustomed to high expectations and should continue to thrive under the England banner.
He also acknowledged the difficulty of facing the Czech Republic in their opening match, emphasizing the importance of starting strong, considering their past encounters. "It's so important that you get off to a good start," he said.
- Lee Carsley, the manager who led England U21 to victory in the UEFA U21 European Championship two years ago, is hoping to repeat that success with a new squad filled with young talent.
- The Young Lions are set to commence their title defense on Thursday, June 12, against the Czech Republic in their opening Group Stage match.
- England's U21 squad includes promising players such as Harvey Elliott, Ethan Nwaneri, Elliot Anderson, Jobe Bellingham, Archie Gray, and James McAtee, among others.
- The crowning match for Group B took place on June 18, where England faced Germany. This highly anticipated clash followed England's matches against the Czech Republic (June 12) and Slovenia (June 15).
