Sheffield United duo can still reach Euros this summer, insists England boss

Aidy Boothroyd insists that his England U21 side - featuring two Sheffield United starlets - can still advance to the quarter-finals of their European Championships despite their opening-game defeat to Switzerland yesterday.
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Blades goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale made a string of saves to keep Switzerland at bay until Dan Ndoye's effort fortuituously beat him, while Ramsdale's Bramall Lane teammate Rhian Brewster came off the bench.

The Young Lions now face Portugal in Ljubljana on Sunday before taking on Croatia in Koper on Wednesday.

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With the tournament extended to 16 teams for the first time, the top two from each group qualify for the knockout stages this summer and Boothroyd said: "The format is different so we have more of a chance.

"We are not out of it yet and we are going to go for it. It's a setback and we don't moan about it, we get on with it.

"There's no time for moping and feeling sorry for yourself with freak goals. We are still in it, we live to fight another day and that's what we'll do.

"It wasn't all doom and gloom but the key thing is the result and we haven't got it. We lick our wounds, focus very quickly on the next game and make sure we get a good result.

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"We were safe and we were cautious, we played a lot of the ball in front of them but not in between and behind them. We have got to redouble our efforts and get a good result against Portugal.

England's Rhian Brewster appears dejected after the final whistle of their 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship defeat to Switzerland: Luka Stanzl/PA Wire.England's Rhian Brewster appears dejected after the final whistle of their 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship defeat to Switzerland: Luka Stanzl/PA Wire.
England's Rhian Brewster appears dejected after the final whistle of their 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship defeat to Switzerland: Luka Stanzl/PA Wire.

"I'm disappointed because we didn't do enough to score. We were positive with possession but that's not enough."

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