Folarin Balogun showed his ruthless streak with a double as England's Young Lions kept their Euro qualification hopes on track.
The Arsenal striker is convinced his move to senior football in January, to join Middlesbrough's Championship promotion push, is sharpening his skills. He has ambitions to win a first-team chance back at the Emirates next season, and did his chances no harm with a match-winning show.
Liverpool ’s Curtis Jones also got among the goals as England cut loose in the second half to go three points behind the Czech Republic with two games in hand. Coach Lee Carsley said: “Flo has been very good in training, really sharp, in the time at the end of sessions practicing his finishing, one and two touch, and finishing under pressure.
“He has been given that time to do it and it is good when the forwards take those chances and score. He has had a very impressive camp. He has taken that form at Boro into this camp. Flo had grown out of U23 football and had to be tested in senior football. He now understands his body, recovers properly and has attributes to play at the top level, and he has to keep scoring out on loan.”
The win was set up thanks to a second-half breakthrough by Balogun, whose playing style is reminiscent of Ian Wright. He produced a crisp finish in the 47th minute, sliding a right foot shot past Simon Simoni to finish the tough Albanian resistance.
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It was created by the excellent Noni Madueke who slipped in a clever assist. He grabbed his second of the night on the hour, Gibbs-White slotting through, before hammering home. It was his fourth goal in three starts in qualifiers for the U21s. In between Balogun’s goals, England’s second came from Anfield kid Jones.
The 21-year-old pinched the ball in the Albania half, raced through on goal and slid a shot home for his third U21 goal in nine caps. Carsley said of Jones: “Curtis Jones is a hell of a talent. What sticks out most is his work rate and the intensity he closes down and he is developing into a leader and will be a big player for us.”
