England men’s Under 21s squeezed past Kazakhstan to move Lee Carsley’s side within one match of sealing their place at next summer’s tournament.

The back-to-back reigning champions made life difficult for themselves, going behind early on and then conceding an equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

But goals from Manchester City loanee Max Alleyne and former Tottenham striker Will Lankshear ensured England picked up all three points in a dominant qualifying campaign in which the Young Lions have won eight and drawn one of their nine matches.

England now need just a point against Slovakia next Friday to seal their spot as one of the 16 sides heading to Albania and Serbia next year.

Daily Mail Sport’s TARA ANSON-WALSH was at Molineux Stadium to give you the things we learned from England’s 4-2 win over Kazakhstan…

Lee Carsley’s side now need just one point against Slovakia next Friday to book their spot among the 16 sides heading to Albania and Serbia next year

The striker Tottenham let get away

The name on everyone’s lips at the moment is former Tottenham striker Will Lankshear after the 21-year-old’s impressive start to the season at Middlesbrough.

Lankshear joined Boro for £20million this summer after making six appearances for Spurs during the 2024-25 season, scoring once. He has hit the ground running on Teesside, scoring six times in his first eight Championship matches. 

His purple patch showed no signs of slowing on Friday, with the forward sliding in to score an impressive flick from close range just 22 minutes after coming off the bench. 

England have produced plenty of No10s in recent years, winning the 2025 Euros without a recognised centre forward, but the lack of an out-and-out striker has long been a bugbear for Carsley.

Michael Owen even suggested Lankshear should have been considered by Thomas Tuchel amid a ‘dearth’ of strikers in the game and no obvious successor to Harry Kane.

Carsley, mindful of not overhyping a youngster who has already begun to draw comparisons with England’s record goalscorer, was measured in his praise at full-time.

‘He’s had a strong week. The way he’s played at Middlesbrough, he’s definitely brought that confidence into the camp.

‘You always wonder whether that’s transferrable, when you’re doing so well at a club, but he’s showed that tonight. His finish was outstanding.

‘He’s shown a bit of character because I left him out of the squad for the first game against Kazakhstan (last September) and sometimes that goes one way or the other and he’s definitely found his game.’

As for Tottenham, given their own struggles in front of goal this season, Roberto De Zerbi and Co may yet come to regret cashing in on a young striker who cannot stop finding the back of the net.

Lankshear’s purple patch showed no signs of slowing on Friday, with the forward sliding in to score from close range just 22 minutes after coming off the bench

Man City’s academy shines amid the chaos 

On the day news broke that Manchester City had been found guilty of 114 of 115 charges, three City academy graduates lined up for Carsley’s side, more than from any other club.

Those were Rico Lewis, Under 21 debutant Stephen Mfuni (on loan at Coventry City) and goalscorer Max Alleyne (on loan at Birmingham City). Divin Mubama, who is currently on loan at Southampton, completed the City contingent, although he is not an academy graduate, having come through the ranks at West Ham.

For everything that has clearly been wrong with how the club has been managed over the past couple of decades, that cannot detract from the plaudits it deserves for its investment in local talent.

Appearing unfazed by the latest developments, the trio impressed in equal measure against Kazakhstan. Lewis looked particularly strong going forward and consistently looks at ease in this expansive set-up. Mubama provided a serious goal threat and was unlucky not to score in the first half. And centre back Alleyne capped off his night with his first Under 21s goal on the hour mark, guiding home the winner from a free kick.

City’s Lewis looked particularly strong going forward and consistently looks at ease in this expansive set-up

Carsley gets a timely warning 

For all England’s dominance, this match against the group’s underdogs was not without its concerns for Carsley.

Kazakhstan had not scored more than once in any of their previous nine qualifying matches and ended that two-year run at Molineux on Friday night.

The manner of the goals conceded will be Carsley’s chief concern given they both came from moments when England appeared to be sleeping at set pieces.

Kazakhstan’s first arrived after just three minutes from a corner, and it quickly became apparent that Carsley’s side had not realised the game had started when Artyom Litosh breezed into the six-yard box and coolly volleyed home to send the 20 or so away fans, four of whom stood proudly behind a Kazakhstan flag for most of the match, into raptures.

The visitors’ equaliser before the break came from a long throw, with Kazakhstan’s Saif Popov given two attempts at goal before his third effort finally found a way past Birmingham City’s James Beadle.

Not only that, but England also looked vulnerable immediately after scoring two of their goals and would have been punished had Kazakhstan possessed a little more quality.

At full time, Carsley said: ‘This team haven’t played together for six months, so I’m not going to be too critical, but they know that they have to play better than that if we’re going to be a serious team.

‘We were too open at times. Against a better team, no disrespect to Kazakhstan… we were under pressure.’

Kazakhstan had not scored more than once in any of their previous nine qualifying matches and ended that two-year run at Molineux on Friday night

Fresh frustration for Gittens 

What had already appeared to be a difficult start to the season for Jamie Gittens now looks as though it may have become even tougher.

After making 16 appearances for Chelsea last term, Gittens has yet to feature for Xabi Alonso’s side in the Premier League, with his only two outings this season coming in the Carabao Cup.

Any hopes of breaking into the first-team picture may now be delayed further after the 22-year-old limped off in the 39th minute following a kick to the ankle and headed straight down the tunnel.

He later left the stadium on crutches and wearing a protective boot, with Carsley confirming he will return to the London club for a full assessment.

Gittens left the stadium on crutches and wearing a protective boot, with Carsley confirming he will return to his club for a full assessment

A homecoming for Coady 

Sometimes football’s storylines are simply too neat, and Conor Coady’s return to Molineux for his first taste of coaching with the Under 21s was one of them.

The 33-year-old agreed to terminate his contract with Wrexham in the summer before being swiftly appointed as Carsley’s assistant. Coady has not formally retired, either, with Carsley joking that his ability to still join in training is ‘a bonus’.

‘He’s an excellent example,’ Carsley said. ‘It’s always important that we have someone on the staff who knows what it’s like to play at Wembley for England and to be around squads. We had that in Ash (Ashley Cole) and Joleon (Lescott) and now we’ve got it in Conor.’

Coady received a warm welcome on his return to Molineux, where he spent seven seasons marshalling Wolves’ defence. The Liverpudlian’s 314 appearances for the club still place him among the club’s top 20 appearance-makers of all time.