Blues forward Omari Hutchinson helped England’s U21s to a 3-1 victory over Czechia in their opening group game at the European Championship in Slovakia.
Hutchinson started on the left and made a bright start, sending in an early cross and then forcing the Czech keeper to push his shot from the edge of the box over.
The 21-year-old was involved in the build-up to the first goal six minutes before the break, which was scored by Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott.
Hutchinson, who was winning his fifth U21s cap, continued to be a danger, seeing a couple of second-half shots blocked before he was replaced in the 77th minute with Jonathan Rowe (Marseille) having added to the Young Lions’ lead and Daniel Fila (Venezia) pulling one back for the Czechs and Charlie Cresswell (Toulouse) securing the lead for Lee Carsley’s side.
The England youngsters next take on Slovenia on Sunday and Germany next Wednesday before the competition goes into its knockout phase.
Former Blues striker Liam Delap is not in the squad with his new club Chelsea understood to have come to an agreement with the FA which saw him withdrawn from the competition in favour of the Club World Cup in the US.
Town forward Jaden Philogene would have been in the squad but for the knee injury he suffered with the Blues in April.