France 2-1 England

UEFA Euro U21 Championship
Play-Off, Second-Leg
Stade Marcel Picot, Nancy
8.00pm, 15 November 2005

England's Under-21s suffered despair in France on Tuesday night as a late winner from Jimmy Briand prevented Peter Taylor's young lions from reaching the European Championships next summer.

Kieran Richardson was adjudged to have fouled Chelsea's Lassana Diarra, on as a substitute, inside the box and Briand coolly converted the spot kick.

Things had looked so encouraging for England after Darren Bent had fired them into the lead, but Franck Ribery and the late strike from Briand ensured the French would qualify for the finals next May.

England were determined to make it a week to remember for English football in this crucial play-off encounter following the 3-2 win over Argentina for the seniors last weekend.

Head Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson had flown out to the Marcel-Picot Stadium in Nancy and said before the game the players had their chance to impress him before the World Cup in Germany.

England Under-21 Coach Peter Taylor made two changes to the side which drew 1-1 at White Hart Lane on Friday as he strived to steer his side to the European Championships next summer.

Influential skipper Gary O'Neil made a timely return to the side after missing the first-leg with a calf injury to replace Aston Villa's James Milner, while Manchester City full-back Nedum Onuoha was recalled to the side in place of Peter Whittingham.

And England should have got off to a dream start on nine minutes when the woodwork denied Darren Bent breaking the deadlock.

The Charlton striker weaved his way into the penalty box before seeing his close-range shot come back off the post. The rebound fell to Kieran Richardson whose effort was superbly beaten out by France keeper Jeremy Gavanon.

Bent had another golden chance to open the scoring on 13 minutes when Tom Huddlestone's ball picked out the prolific forward who raced towards goal but saw his shot produce another fine save from Gavanon.

France fought their way back into the game and created their first major chance on 17 minutes when Julien Faubert's shot from the edge of the box was cleared off the line by Michael Dawson.

Dawson was lucky to escape with just a caution on 23 minutes after he brought down Jimmy Briand on the edge of the box which sparked a great deal of fury between the two sides.

And England had Scott Carson to thank for keeping them in the game on 27 minutes when he made a fantastic one-handed save to deny Liverpool team-mate Anthony Le Tallec's close-range header.

Huddlestone came close for England again on the half-hour mark when his dipping 30-yard volley flew inches past the post.

England knew they had to raise the tempo and get on the score-sheet in the second-half if they stood any chance of winning the game.

And they came close again on 52 minutes when Anton Ferdinand knocked the ball down to Carlton Cole who fired the ball just past the post.

But the crucial breakthrough came after 55 minutes when Ryan Taylor's cross picked out Bent and his glancing header flew past Gavanon into the corner of the net.

The lead only lasted four minutes as France grabbed an equaliser through influential midfielder Franck Ribery on 59 minutes.

Ribery, who has been the class player throughout the two games, turned Dawson on the edge of the box and fired a superb shot past Carson.

Ashton could have won the game for England on 82 minutes when he connected with a Richardson cross, but saw his header fly just past the post.

But England were made to pay on 85 minutes when Richardson brought down Diarra inside the box and the referee awarded a penalty to France.

Briand only just managed to slot the ball past Carson into the corner of the net but it was enough to prevent England reaching the finals next summer.

England: Scott Carson (Liverpool), Ryan Taylor (Wigan), Michael Dawson (Tottenham), Anton Ferdinand (West Ham), Nedum Onuoha (Manchester City) (Peter Whittingham (Aston Villa) 79), Darren Ambrose (Charlton) (Dean Ashton (Norwich) 66), Gary O'Neil (Portsmouth), Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham), Kieran Richardson (Manchester United), Darren Bent (Charlton), Carlton Cole (Chelsea) (Cameron Jerome (Cardiff) 89)

Goals: Bent 55

France: Gavanon; Sagna, Zubar, Badiane, Berthod; Faubert, Didot (Diarra 56mins), Mavuba, Ribery; Briand, Le Tallec

Goals: Ribery 59, Briand (pen) 85