Ambrose gives England the edge

On a busy night of friendly Under-21 internationals, England were 1-0 winners away to Denmark, Italy came from behind to draw 2-2 with France, and the Netherlands defeated neighbours Belgium 2-1.

Ambrose winner
Darren Ambrose struck in the final minute to earn England Under-21s a 1-0 victory away to Denmark Under-21s at the SAS Arena in Herning tonight. Carlton Cole flicked Nicky Hunt’s long ball into the path of the Charlton Athletic FC midfielder who crashed a shot into the bottom left corner as the game entered stoppage time.

Rasmussen off
The goal marked a rapid turnaround in fortunes for Ambrose who had been sent off in Charlton’s 3-1 win away to Sunderland AFC on Saturday. It was also hard on Denmark, UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying Group 2 leaders, who looked to have escaped with a draw despite playing much of the second half with only ten men following the dismissal of Morten Rasmussen.

Camp saves
England had the best of the chances and had the ball in the net after only five minutes, but James Milner’s header was ruled offside after Nigel Reo-Coker’s shot had bounced back off the crossbar. Rasmussen was sent off on 52 minutes for an ugly challenge on substitute Jon Stead, but despite being a man down, Denmark too made chances and substitute Lee Camp had to be alert to turn away Mikkel Thygesen’s stinging low shot.

Italy draw
Denmark resume their Group 2 campaign on 2 September away to Turkey while England, joint leaders of Group 6, travel to Wales that same day. In other Under-21 friendly internationals on Tuesday, Scotland were 3-1 winners away to Austria while France and Italy drew 2-2 at the Moueix stadium near Bordeaux.

Toulalan strike
Claudio Gentile’s Italy side went ahead in added time at the end of the first half when defender Felice Piccolo knocked in from a corner. But seven minutes after the break a powerful strike from FC Nantes Atlantique midfielder Jérémy Toulalan got France back on track.

Rosina leveller
Les Bleuets were in control and they deservedly went ahead five minutes after that through new Sunderland signing Anthony Le Tallec. But Italy earned a draw late on when Parma FC striker Alessandro Rosina scored from the penalty spot. Two minutes from time Italy’s Alessandro Potenza and France’s Franck Ribéry were dismissed for fighting.

Swiss date
France, second in Group 4, are at home to F.Y.R. Macedonia in another friendly on 1 September before completing their European Under-21 Championship qualifying programme away to the Republic of Ireland and Switzerland on 6 September and 7 October respectively. Italy, comfortably five points clear at the top of Group 5, resume their qualifying campaign away to Scotland on 2 September.

Huntelaar winner
In Tessenderlo, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored the winner with just 14 minutes remaining as the Netherlands came from behind to beat Belgium 2-1 in the Low Countries derby. Dutch coach Foppe de Haan included seven members of the Under-20 side that had impressed in reaching the quarter-finals at this summer’s FIFA World Youth Championship.

Dutch delight
But it was Belgium that made the early running and Stein Huysegems, who plays for Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar, gave the home side the lead on the stroke of half time. His new club-mate, midfielder Stijn Schaars, equalised just after the hour mark before Huntelaar secured victory for the Netherlands late on.