Gibson goal gives England victory
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Article summary
England 1-0 Belarus
Ben Gibson scored with seven minutes to go in a friendly in Barnsley to send England off to the finals in good spirit.
Article top media content
Article body
• Ben Gibson gets winner for England with seven minutes left of friendly in Barnsley
• Belarus had just had Mikhail Zolatau sent off
• England start Group B against Portugal in Uherske Hradiste on 18 June
Ben Gibson's 83rd-minute goal ensured England departed for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in the Czech Republic with a friendly win in Barnsley.
The game had been heading for a draw when Luke Garbutt's free-kick was only parried by Belarus goalkeeper Vladislav Vasilyuchek and Gibson was there to turn the rebound into the roof of the net for his first U21 goal. In conceding the set piece, Mikalai Zolatau had received a second yellow card for Belarus.
England had dominated the game, with Saido Berahino having a first-half effort ruled out for offside before he tested Vasilyuchek. Indeed, England were only denied by a much bigger win by the goalkeeper, who right at the end kept out a superb shot from Danny Ings after being set up by fellow high-profile substitute Harry Kane.
The victory for England added to those against fellow finalists the Czech Republic and Germany in March.
England: Butland; Jenkinson, Garbutt, Stones (Chambers 46), Gibson; Ward-Prowse, Carroll, Hughes (Loftus-Cheek 46); Redmond (Ings 59), Berahino (Kane 59), Pritchard.