England Under-21s suffered a 3-2 stoppage-time defeat against Ukraine in their Euro 2025 qualifier in Slovakia where they had recovered from 2-0 down.
Lee Carsley’s side had coasted to a 9-1 win over Serbia at the City Ground last week to sit top of Group F.
Ukraine, though, had also picked up maximum points from their opening two qualifiers and proved a much sterner test for the Young Lions, who trailed 2-0 at half-time before Noni Madueke and Charlie Cresswell looked to have salvaged a draw – only for Ilya Kvasnytsya to strike a late winner.
England, captained by Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott with Chelsea winger Cole Palmer out injured, created their first clear opening in the 24th minute.
A neat exchange saw Jamie Bynoe-Gittens played into the left side of the penalty area and his cutback was stabbed across goal by James McAtee.
It proved a costly miss as Ukraine took the lead just after the half hour.
England were caught in possession trying to play out from the back and Ukraine swiftly pressed forwards. A ball across from the right dropped through to Nazar Voloshyn at the far post, and he slotted past James Trafford.
With half-time approaching, England found space again on the edge of the Ukraine area as Madueke made a smart turn, but the Chelsea forward dragged a low shot wide.
Ukraine then doubled their lead with a magnificent free-kick from Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Oleg Ocheretko.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite was penalised for what looked like minimal contact on Maksim Bragaru out on the right. There did not seem to be the angle for a direct shot – but Ocheretko blasted the ball over Trafford and into the far corner.
Following a low-key start to the second half, Carsley looked to inject some fresh life into his side with a triple substitution ahead of the hour mark as Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Liam Delap and Juventus forward Samuel Iling-Junior all came on.
England, facing just a third qualifying defeat in 12 years, reduced the deficit in the 67th minute.
Hull forward Delap was hustled off the ball at the edge of the Ukraine area, but it fell to Madueke who dispatched a neat finish back into the far corner.
Iling-Junior then saw his cross fly through the six-yard box before being touched behind for a corner.
England found an equaliser with just a minute left when Leeds defender Cresswell headed in at the far post after a deep cross from Elliott dropped through the Ukraine penalty area.
Ukraine, though, snatched victory in stoppage time when substitute Kvasnytsya swept a low shot into the far corner following a quick break – before Delap saw his goal-bound header saved by Ruslan Neshcheret in what was the last action of the game.
Emery counting on Conference League experience as schedule bites at Villa
Aston Villa may be winless in six games ahead of their Champions League meeting with Juventus, but Unai Emery refuses to blame their drop-off on a congested fixture list.
Villa's winless streak has seen them crash out of the EFL Cup and drop to eighth in the Premier League table, with only a late Ross Barkley header salvaging a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Emery's men also saw their perfect Champions League start halted by a shock 1-0 defeat to Club Brugge on matchday four, leaving them eighth in the 36-team table.
Villa have nine more matches to play before the turn of the year, with the first of those at home to a Juve side sat one point behind them in the standings.
Emery, however, says they cannot blame a fixture pile-up for their loss of form, particularly after they juggled domestic and Europa Conference League commitments last season.
"Last year we had experience with the Conference League, we juggled a lot. We want to play a lot of matches and hopefully, we will play until the last month of the season," Emery said.
"The Champions League is the best competition in the world. We are managing each match and more or less being consistent in the preparation and being consistent in the idea of building a team.
"Tomorrow is a very important three points but even if we don't win, taking one point is good because in the table we are in the top eight positions.
"We want to be in the next round and tomorrow if we win, maybe we can be a contender to get it."
Villa have beaten Bayern Munich and Bologna in their first two Champions League home games, and they could now become just the third English club to win their first three at home in the competition, after Tottenham in 2010 and Leicester City in 2016.
They kept clean sheets in both of those matches, with AC Milan in 1992-93 the only team to ever win their first three home games in the Champions League without conceding.
Juve have also been tough to break down under Thiago Motta, though, boasting Serie A's best defensive record, and Emery knows Villa will have to make the most of their chances.
"He was very competitive as a player, he was very intelligent, he was a top player. Physically he was strong, mentally he was strong and now as a coach he has started being successful," Emery, who coached Motta when he was a midfielder at Paris Saint-Germain, added.
"I appreciate him as a person, I appreciated him as a player and now I appreciate him as a manager.
"They are very strong defensively, not only with the ball but without the ball... They are building a team, trying to keep consistency and dominating matches with the ball but defensively trying to be strong positionally."
Villa are also dealing with injury concerns but Emery said Ezri Konsa and Boubacar Kamara will be available as Amadou Onana and Jacob Ramsey miss out.
Onana sat out the weekend's draw with Palace due to injury, while Ramsey is still nursing a knock sustained in a 2-0 defeat by Liverpool before the international break.
USWNT goalkeeper Naeher to retire from international football
United States goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is to retire from international football next month.
Naeher has won 113 caps for the USWNT and was a regular between the sticks during their most recent World Cup-winning campaign in 2019, also starting for Emma Hayes' Olympic Gold medallists in Paris earlier this year.
The 36-year-old, who has represented the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL since 2016, will link up with Hayes' side for their upcoming friendlies against England and the Netherlands, but that will be the final camp she attends.
Naeher said in a statement posted to her Instagram account: "With immense gratitude and very thoughtful consideration, I have decided to retire from the international game.
"Having the opportunity to be a part of the USWNT for the past 15 years has been the greatest honour.
"This has been a special team to be a part of and I am beyond proud of what we have achieved both on and off the field. The memories I have made over the years will last me a lifetime.
"I know one chapter is ending, but I am so excited to continue to see the growth of this team going forward and what more they can accomplish."
Hope Solo (202) and Briana Scurry (175) are the only goalkeepers to make more appearances for the team than Naeher, who made her debut versus Argentina in December 2014.
Mbappe position switch works wonders for Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti was satisfied his tactical decision to switch Kylian Mbappe's position in attack paid off in Real Madrid's 3-0 win over Leganes.
Mbappe scored his seventh goal of the season to help Madrid to a comfortable victory in LaLiga on Sunday.
However, his position in Madrid's front line has been a topic of debate since he joined the Spanish champions, with Mbappe having often played out wide while at Paris Saint-Germain.
And Ancelotti elected to switch Mbappe out to the left flank against Leganes, with Vinicius Junior spearheading Los Blancos' attack.
"Mbappe played on the left side, where he did well, and Vinicius on the inside," Ancelotti told reporters.
"We have to highlight their play to open the scoring. They did very, very well. Mbappe scored, after a fantastic assist from Vinicius. Little by little, they're both improving.
"Kylian is more used to playing there and today, for the team and for him, it was the best thing.
"Because playing on the outside brings more effort and Vinicius was back on Thursday. Meanwhile, Kylian had been training here for a week and a half, he was fresher."
Mbappe was not called up by France coach Didier Deschamps for this month's Nations League games, despite being Les Bleus' captain.
With an injury crisis at the back and a trip to Anfield to face Premier League and Champions League leaders Liverpool coming up, Ancelotti added he was hopeful of Lucas Vazquez, who has a hamstring strain, and Aurelien Tchouameni, who is recovering from a sprained left ankle, returning to action.
He was also upbeat about the contribution of Federico Valverde, who scored from a free-kick while filling in at right-back.
"The truth is that Fede, at the back, has done very well," said Ancelotti of the Uruguayan, who also wore the captain's armband.
"He's a fantastic fullback. After Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez, the best right-back in the world. His problem is that he can play at this level in many positions and is the coach's problem to choose the best position for the team.
"Let's see if Lucas and Tchouameni can recover. If not, we will make decisions."
Jude Bellingham netted Madrid's other goal as Ancelotti's team closed to within four points of LaLiga leaders Barcelona, who drew 2-2 with Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Madrid also have a game in hand on Hansi Flick's side.
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