Switzerland 2-3 England

UEFA European U21 Championship
Group 8 Qualifier
Wednesday 6 September 2006
Stadion Allmend, Lucerne

A last-gasp strike from James Milner sent England through to the play-offs for the UEFA European U21s Championship finals after a 3-2 win over a strong Swiss side.

Switzerland looked to have secured the point they needed when Tranquillo Barnetta equalised with 20 minutes left.

But despite seeing their two-goal lead evaporate, Peter Taylor's side kept going and when Milner pounced late on to drill home at the second attempt, England were on their way through.

It was an actioned packed encounter in the compact, yet very lively Allmend Stadion, as a noisy Swiss crowd got behind their team.

They could only watch, though, as Switzerland threatened England with their pacy front line. But despite enjoying much of the early possession, it was England's own speed demon who set the game alight.

Playing on the left of a midfield five, his first chance to open his legs came early and as he drifted past Tottenham's Reto Zeiger it took a last gasp tackle from Blerim Dzemaili to deny him a route to goal.

However, ten minutes later England broke free following a Swiss corner and as Johan Djourou, the young Arsenal defender, lay injured in Scott Carson's area, David Bentley released Walcott.

He left last man Gelson Fernades for dead before delicately lifting the ball over Johnny Leoni from 20 yards to give England the lead.

It was only now that the Three Lions noticed the prostrate Djourou. He was soon to be replaced by Veroljub Salatic, but not before England went two up on 18 mins.

Justin Hoyte played a lovely ball into Wayne Routledge on the right wing. He applied a perfect pass across the face of goal for the easiest of tap-ins for David Nugent.

The Swiss fans went silent, apart from those still piling in through the gates, and despite being pinned back for large parts of the game, England were smiling.

Soon, though, Johan Vonlanthen, the Swiss forward who became the youngest ever scorer in a European Championship Finals in Portugal two years ago, showed his class.

Sneaking in between Anton Ferdinand and Steven Taylor, he edged the ball away from Carson, but couldn't get out of the Charlton man's way and was bumped to the floor.

The referee was certain to point to the spot, but was helped with his decision by the cries from the fans. Vonlanthen made no mistake, tucking away to his right just out of the reach of Carson.

Within seconds of the restart, the home side made their intentions known as Tranquillo Barnetta, one of four Swiss players at this summer's World Cup, was put in the clear on the left, but Carson was equal to the resulting low drive.

Vonlanthen also set hearts aflutter with a striding run into the box with Ferdinand in pursuit. However, instead of pulling the trigger, he dived to the floor seeking the penalty. Referee Lannoy was not interested in either the claim, nor the yellow card.

What was already a fiery game became even more lively with strong, committed challenges meaning the referee had to keep his whistle close at hand.

Nonetheless, there was still some good football being played and from England's point of view, two chances for half-time substitute James Milner could have put the game to bed.

England found space with three against one as Reo-Coker tried to work an opening on the edge of the box and passed inside to Walcott.

His ball into the path of Milner arriving in acres of space on the left of the box lacked pace and allowed Pirmin Schwegler to cut out a certain goalscoring opportunity.

With a sweeping cross from the right, Routledge then managed to pick out the Newcastle midfielder in almost an identical position, but Milner's header went wide.

The crowd then went wild, all 8,000 of them, as Barnetta equalised for the Swiss to put them in the driving seat.

The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder, cut in from the left and delivered a powerful, low curler into the corner of the net, which the outstretched Carson could not repel.

But for all of Switzerland's potency in attack, they looked decidedly shaky at the back, which gave England hope and the eventual win.

Leoni clawed away Cameron Jerome's low cross sending it beyond Walcott and debutant Ashley Young, but it was his uncertainty under pressure from Jerome when Leighton Baines crossed with two minutes left that allowed Milner the chance to be England's hero, burying the loose ball into the bottom of the net.

TheFA.com Man of the Match: Anton Ferdinand

Switzerland: 1 Johnny Leoni 2 Stefan Lichtsteiner 3 Reto Ziegler (Buhler 84) 4 Blerim Dzemaili 5 Johannes Djourou (Salatic 24) 6 Pirmin Schwegler 7 Tranquillo Barnetta 8 Gelson Fernandes (Antic 80) 9 Julian Esteban 10 Javier Margairaz 11 Johan Vonlathen.
Subs not used: 12 Eldin Jakupovic 15 David Marazzi 16 Christian Schwegler 19 Zdravko Kuzmanovic

Goals: Vonlathen pen 29, Barnetta 70

England: 1 Scott Carson 2 Justin Hoyte 3 Leighton Baines 4 Steven Taylor 5 Anton Ferdinand 6 Tom Huddlestone 7 Nigel Reo-Coker (c) 8 David Bentley (Milner 46) 9 Theo Walcott 10 David Nugent (Jerome 69) 11 Wayne Routledge (Young 79).
Subs not used: 12 John Welsh 13 Lee Camp 14 Peter Whittingham 15 Matt Kilgallon.

Goals: Walcott 13, Nugent 18, Milner 88

Referee: S Lannoy
Assistant Referees: E Dansault and K Santigli
Fourth Official: S Moulin (All France)

Attendance: 8,500