England Under-21 2 Portugal Under-21 0: Agbonlahor keeps Under-21s on course for Sweden

Stuart Pearce's Under-21 side made sure of finishing top of their European Championship qualifying group with an ultimately comfortable victory last night, although to reach next summer's finals in Sweden they must still win a two-leg play-off.

Sensible pricing encouraged a crowd of 27,732 to turn out at Wembley on a night of driving rain. They saw a game in which England, beaten on penalties in the semi-final of the last tournament, recovered from a slow start and used the searing pace of Gabriel Agbonlahor to break open the visitors' defence. He scored the second goal just after the hour after helping to win the penalty that his new Aston Villa team-mate James Milner converted shortly before half-time.

Portugal's neat technicians were the only team to have taken a point or even a goal from England in seven previous group games and they came close to earning the lead before falling behind. In the fourth minute Vierinha met a corner at the near post, bringing a smart one-handed save from Manchester City's Joe Hart. From the second quarter of the game onwards, however, England created the better chances, often through taking advantage of Agbonlahor's pace down the channels. Winning one ball close to the byline, he set up Adam Johnson for a strong shot and then did the same for Fabrice Muamba.

The Bolton midfielder was adjudged to have been fouled by Machado and Milner, playing a record 38th game at this level, calmly put away the penalty. In the 63rd minute Mark Noble sent Agbonlahor clear from the halfway line and he ran on to squeeze the ball in, before making way for the Tottenham loanee Fraizer Campbell.

England (4-3-3): Hart (Manchester City); Cranie (Charlton), S Taylor (Newcastle), Mancienne (Chelsea), A Taylor (Middlesbrough); Noble (West Ham), Muamba (Bolton), Huddlestone (Tottenham); Milner (Aston Villa), Agbonlahor (Aston Villa), Johnson (Middlesbrough). Substitutes used: Cattermole (Wigan) for Muamba, 55; Campbell (Tottenham) for Agbonlahor, 75; Kightly (Wolves) for Johnson, 85.

Portugal (4-3-3): Patricio (Sporting); Pereirinha (Sporting), V Fernandes (Leixoes), Coelho (Armadora), Brandao (Siena); M Fernandes (Valencia), Veloso (Sporting), Machado (St-Etienne); Vieirinha (PAOK), Vaz Te (Bolton), Gama (Setubal). Substitutes used: Moreira (Valencia) for Gama, h-t; Candeias (Porto) for Vierinha, 58; Cruz (Braga) for Machado, 71.

Referee: G Rocchi (Italy).

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