Mount top of pile in Latvia

LATVIA U21s ENGLAND U21s

ENGLAND Under-21s survived a scare as they came from behind to beat Latvia in their European Championship qualifier yesterday.

The Young Lions, who top Group Four, fell behind to Raivis Jurkovskis’s opener but goals from on-loan Chelsea youngsters Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount earned victory in Jelgava.

It was an impressive debut for Mount, who set up Abraham’s leveller and enhanced his growing reputation with a man-of-thematch display.

Manager Aidy Boothroyd will be hoping his side can book their place in Italy for next summer’s tournament with their final qualifiers against Andorra and Scotland next month.

After being held to a 0-0 draw by secondplaced Holland at Carrow Road last week, Boothroyd’s men would have been keen to assert their authority early on. But they made a poor start and fell behind in the 28th minute when Jurkovskis struck.

Dominic Solanke had a good chance to draw level almost immediately but he could not find the target. However, the visitors did score when forward Abraham, on loan at Aston Villa, was in the right place to head home Mount’s fizzed cross at the near post for his eighth goal for the U21s.

England began to control the game and could have taken the lead on the hour but keeper Kristaps Zommers produced an impressive double save to to keep out Solanke and Abraham from close range.

They eventually made their breakthrough with 17 minutes to go when Mount, who is on loan at Derby, produced a composed finish after receiving the ball from Solanke.