International Round-Up: Pickford Shines On England Debut

Jordan Pickford excelled on his senior England debut as the Everton keeper made a string of fine saves in a goalless draw with Germany at Wembley.

The 23-year-old, who joined the Blues from Sunderland in the summer for a fee rising to £30million - a British record for a goalkeeper - was instrumental in the Three Lions registering a clean sheet in a friendly against the world champions.

Having impressed for the Toffees so far this season, Pickford showed his qualities after being given his first international cap, blocking Timo Werner's shot in the first half when the striker had been played through on goal.

The shot-stopper denied the RB Leipzig man again moments later, diving low to his right to claw away a goalbound effort.

A youthful England side impressed on the night and had chances themselves, notably from another debutant Tammy Abraham, Jamie Vardy and Jesse Lingard.

Pickford's Everton teammate Michael Keane was an unused substitute. 

In other international action, Idrissa Gana Gueye helped Senegal book their place at the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia thanks to a 2-0 triumph away to South Africa.

The Toffees midfielder played the full 90 minutes in Polokwane as a strike from West Ham's Diafra Sakho and an own goal saw the Lions of Teranga triumph to guarantee top spot in Group D of African qualifying ahead of the return match against Bafana Bafana on Tuesday night.

Ashley Williams captained Wales in their 2-0 friendly defeat against France in Paris.

Everton's centre-back played the entire match as the hosts took the honours through goals from Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud.

Elsewhere, Kevin Mirallas was an unused substitute as Belgium and Mexico shared a lively 3-3 draw in Brussels.

Four Everton youngsters helped England Under-21s preserve their unbeaten European Championship qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory in Ukraine.

Jonjoe Kenny, Ademola Lookman, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Kieran Dowell all featured as Dominic Solanke's 16th-minute opener and a Pavlo Lukyanchuk own goal kept Aidy Boothroyd's side top of their group with four wins and a draw from their five matches to date.

Kenny, Lookman and Dowell started in Kiev, with Dowell - currently on loan in the Championship with Nottingham Forest - being replaced by Calvert-Lewin just before the hour mark.

All four players helped England Under-20s to World Cup glory in South Korea in the summer, alongside Blues teammate Callum Connolly, with Calvert-Lewin hitting the winning goal in the final against Venezuela.

In Group 2 of U21 European qualifying, Northern Ireland grabbed a 1-1 draw against Albania in Tirana courtesy of a late leveller from Everton Under-23s striker Shayne Lavery.

The visitors went behind in the second half but Lavery, who came off the bench with 15 minutes to go, stroked home the equaliser with just minutes remaining to secure a point for his nation.

Nathan Broadhead was a second-half substitute in Wales Under-21s' 4-0 defeat against Bosnia & Herzegovina in Bangor.