England U21 Secure 3-0 Victory Over Israel U21: March into European Championship Final with Stellar Performance

Morgan Gibbs-White notches up a goal and three assists in the tournament

The England Under-21 team have secured their place in the European Championship final, their first since 2009, thanks to significant contributions from Morgan Gibbs-White. Despite this success, Gibbs-White cautions that there is “still much work left to do.”

The Nottingham Forest’s key midfielder opened the scoreline in the 42nd minute, looping a header from Cole Palmer’s cross, redeeming an earlier missed penalty.

Cole Palmer, the forward from Manchester City, found the net next, benefiting from an assist from Emile Smith Rowe, thus doubling England’s advantage.

Then, a dynamic exchange between Palmer and substitute Cameron Archer led to England’s third goal, with Archer delivering the decisive strike.

The formidable Young Lions, who haven’t conceded any goals in the tournament thus far, will face Spain in the final this Saturday, eyeing their first win since 1984.

Speaking of the achievement, Gibbs-White shared, “It’s a challenge to express in words. We’ve been training tirelessly for two years to reach this stage. But we are not finished yet; there is a lot more to accomplish.”

He feels confident about the team’s camaraderie and potential to clinch the championship.

Highlights of the match between Israel U21 and England U21

England narrowly missed securing an early lead in the 17th minute after Smith Rowe’s shots were blocked. Anthony Gordon of Newcastle was fouled by Karm Jaber, awarding England a penalty, but Gibbs-White’s kick missed the mark.

Nonetheless, Lee Carsley’s team kept up the pressure, and Gibbs-White’s header off Palmer’s assist eventually gave England their deserved lead just before halftime.

Israel posed threats mainly from set-pieces. Jaber’s shot from a corner sailed over the goal, while Dor Turgeman’s deflected shot marked their best attempt of the match.

Despite a potential comeback goal from Israel in the 85th minute, James Trafford, on the verge of a £15m move from Manchester City to Burnley, successfully blocked a close-range header.

England had previously overcome Israel 2-0 in the group stage, and substitute Archer extended the margin with a commanding finish in the final stages of this match.

The victory progresses Carsley’s squad further into an excellent campaign, setting them up for a shot at becoming European champions at this level for the first time in almost four decades.

Gibbs-White’s Star Performance

Critics had expressed doubt when Nottingham Forest paid a whopping £42.5m for Gibbs-White last summer, but the 23-year-old has since silenced them. After helping Forest escape relegation last season, Gibbs-White has made a significant impact in the tournament with one goal and three assists over four games.

England’s manager Carsley commended the younger generation’s resilience. “They make mistakes, yet they immediately want to try again. That self-belief is crucial, and they know we support them.”

Gibbs-White, who was part of the victorious U17 World Cup team in 2017, remains focused on contributing more goals for the team. He said, “Full focus is on Saturday and the team. Despite missing a penalty, I knew another chance would come, so I stayed composed. The win and making it to the final are what truly matter.”

Match Statistics

The teams lined up as follows:

Home Team: Israel U21
Away Team: England U21

Possession:
Home: 33%
Away: 67%

Shots:
Home: 11
Away: 16

Shots on

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about England U21 European Championship final

More about England U21 European Championship final

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship
• Morgan Gibbs-White Player Profile
• Nottingham Forest Official Site
• Manchester City Official Site
• Lee Carsley Coaching Profile
• UEFA European Under-21 Championship Past Winners