Kosovo U21 0 England U21 5: Young Lions pristine in Pristina… but fans only know half of it after BBC TV blackout
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ENGLAND were pristine in Pristina — but supporters only knew the half of it.
An issue with the feed from the local broadcaster prevented fans from watching the first 45 minutes of this Euro qualifier in Kosovo’s capital on BBC iPlayer and YouTube.
It meant they missed Keane Lewis-Potter and Anthony Gordon putting the visitors 2-0 up inside 12 minutes.
The pictures kicked in for the second half, so at least Cameron Archer’s two clinical finishes and an unfortunate Kosovan own goal were caught on camera.
Lee Carsley’s Young Lions had already secured top spot in Group G, meaning qualification for next summer’s Under-21 Euros in Romania and Georgia was in the bag.
That was why Carsley decided to make eight changes from Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Albania in Chesterfield, handing debuts to goalkeeper James Trafford and centre-back James Hill.
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Spurs fans got excited when they saw Djed Spence was not in the squad at all, amid talk of an imminent switch from Middlesbrough, which proved to be premature.
The right-back was at the game but only as a spectator, as he was given a rest following a long season, along with fellow Nottingham Forest loanee James Garner.
Harvey Elliott was back in the team after recovering from a bout of Covid.
And it was the Liverpool youngster who teed up Hull’s Lewis-Potter to head home two minutes into his first start.
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One became two ten minutes later as Max Aarons swung in a cross for Everton starlet Gordon to nod into the net.
The game was up just seven minutes into the second period as Archer found the corner.
His Aston Villa team-mate Jacob Ramsey, who saw a shot tipped on to the bar, then laid in Archer to complete his double.
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Kosovo’s miserable night was summed up when the ball cannoned against Kreshnik Krasniqi and went in for a freak own goal.
It may have been an "unwatchable" first half but keep your eye on Carsley’s whizkids who are getting better with every game.