Godfrey Helps England Under-21s Book Finals Spot

New Everton signing Ben Godfrey played the full 90 minutes as England Under-21s beat Turkey 2-1 on Tuesday night to book their spot at next year's European U21 Championship.

The victory takes England seven points clear at the top of qualification Group C with just two matches to play.

Toffees midfielder Tom Davies was an unused substitute for the young Lions, who took the lead at Molineux when Huseyin Turkmen put through his own goal 17 minutes in.

Both teams missed penalties in an eventful contest. First, Halil Dervisoglu spurned the opportunity to equalise for the away side when Aaron Ramsdale saved his 52nd-minute spot-kick, before England attacker Eddie Nketiah struck the post with his penalty kick six minutes from time.

The Arsenal man did find the back of the net soon after with an assured finish - Nketiah's strike was his 14th at this level, taking him above Alan Shearer and former Everton forward Francis Jeffers to become England Under-21s' record goalscorer.

Dervisoglu scored a stoppage-time consolation for Turkey.


Alex Iwobi was in action for Nigeria as they battled out a 1-1 draw with Tunisia in a friendly international.

Iwobi, who was making his 39th senior appearance for his country, played the entirety of the game in Austria.

Leicester striker Kelechi Iheanacho gave Nigeria the lead midway through the first period before Tunisia equalised on the stroke of half-time through Mohamed Dräger.

Everton goalkeeper Joao Virginia, meanwhile, was an unused substitute as Portugal Under-21s beat Gibraltar Under-21s 3-0 in a U21 European Championship qualifier.

Pedro Goncalves netted a double, while Joao Filipe was also on the scoresheet for Portugal.

Three Everton players were in action as England Under-20s beat Wales Under-19s 2-0 in an international friendly on Tuesday afternoon.

Everton attacker Anthony Gordon completed 90 minutes for England - who are managed by former Blues player Lee Carsley - while Toffees Under-23s duo Ryan Astley and Rhys Hughes featured or Wales.

Defender Astley played the full game, while midfielder Hughes was introduced as a 70th-minute substitute.

Both England’s goals came in the first half at St George’s Park.

The young Lions took the lead through Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey just after the half-hour mark before Hamburg forward Xavier Amaechi doubled the hosts’ advantage on 36 minutes.

Both teams made a host of changes in the second period as England saw out a comfortable victory.