Elliott Shines as England U21s Cruise to Victory

Young Lions Begin Tournament with Confident Display

A dominant performance from England’s Under-21 side saw them secure a comfortable win in their opening match of the tournament, fueled by a standout goal from Liverpool’s **Harvey Elliott**. The victory sets a positive tone as they prepare for a challenging group stage.

Elliott’s Decisive Strike

The deadlock was broken in the 39th minute courtesy of **Elliott**, who found the back of the net for the Young Lions. It was his fifth goal of the season across all competitions. The forward described the moment, “I just needed to be in the right place at the right time, make sure I got a clean strike and hit the target.” He credited **James McAtee** for a perfect assist, adding, “It was a lovely set from James McAtee, who set it up perfectly.”

**Elliott** felt his goal shifted the momentum, stating, “It’s a lovely feeling when the ball hits the net and I felt it controlled the game. We were able to see it through to half-time, regroup and go again for the second half.” England continued to build on their lead after the break, securing a convincing victory.

England’s U21s have a 68.8% win rate in qualifying matches since 2020, demonstrating a consistent level of performance. (The FA)

Carsley Cautions Against Complacency

Manager **Paul Carsley** emphasized the importance of maintaining focus as the team prepares for their next challenge. He noted, “The next two days are very important in terms of our recovery and preparation for the Slovenia game. He firmly stated, “There’s definitely no way we’ll be overlooking Slovenia, because we’ve seen a lot of them and they’re a good, well organised team. We look forward to the game.”

**Elliott** echoed his manager’s sentiments, acknowledging the quick turnaround. “It’s a very quick turnaround with not too much time to think about what’s to come. You just need to go into games, hopefully get the job done and worry about things afterwards.” England will face Slovenia on Sunday, June 15th, with a 5pm BST kick-off.

The atmosphere at the match was electric, with **Elliott** praising the support. “It was an incredible night as well – the fans were really good and created an amazing atmosphere. It was a pleasure to play in front of them, a great game and a great way to start the tournament.” The team will aim to carry this momentum into their upcoming fixture.