England 0-1 Portugal

Britannia Stadium, Stoke City FC

England's Under-21 side tonight went down to their first ever defeat under the leadership of David Platt when a single goal saw Portugal rule at the Britannia.

Despite a truly rousing final ten minutes in which the chances and the entertainment came thick and fast, it is difficult to say that England deserved anything more from a game which took them so long to find their true form. England skipper David Dunn looked lively whenever on the ball but the Blackburn man was unable to inspire his team-mates to awake from their slumber.

Portugal left-back Tonel scored the game's only goal with a towering 39th minute header from Candido Costa's excellently executed right-wing free-kick.

Agostinho Oliveira's team are a highly gifted group of players and David Platt knows that England will need to cope with their adversaries' pace and skill in more competent fashion when the two teams meet each other again in this summer's European Championship in Switzerland.

England U21: Robinson, Wright, Konchesky, Carrick, Riggott, Barry, Dunn, Davis, Alan Smith, Christie, Johnson. Subs: Jenas, Kirkland, Young, Knight, Prutton, Pennant, Zamora, Crouch, Defoe. Portugal U21: Leite, Ferreira, Tonel, Faisca, Ribeiro, Ednilson, Candido Costa, Tiago, Miguel, Paulo Costa, Peixoto.
Subs: Marcio Santos, Teixeira, Briguel, Alves, Paulo, Ricardo Costa, Semedo. Referee: D McDonald (Scotland). Attendance: 28, 000

From Daniel Freedman in Stoke