Emile Smith Rowe netted his second goal in as many games to help England beat Israel 2-0 and book a place in the knockout stages of the U21 European Championships.
Unlike in the opening match against the Czech Republic, Emile was handed a start by boss Lee Carsley and he would play 70 minutes in Kutaisi, Georgia, departing just two minutes after firing his side into a healthy lead and netting in successive games.
He had the ball in the net after just three minutes when he finished off a neat move but saw it ruled out for offside, however 12 minutes later Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon put the Three Lions ahead when he headed in a Morgan Gibbs-White cross.
England continued to enjoy the better of the game, and midway through the second half Emile was involved in a slick passing move and was once again found by Gibbs-White just outside the box, and he unleashed a right-footed blast that fizzed into the bottom corner out of the reach of Israel’s Daniel Peretz to register his fifth goal at under-21 level.
Emile departed the field soon after having won his 12th cap, but enough had been done to ensure his side reached the last eight with a game to spare as group winners, following the Czech Republic’s win against holders Germany.
That is who England face next on Wednesday, safe in the knowledge they’ll play the runners-up of Group A in the quarter-finals, which could be either the Netherlands, Belgium, Georgia or Nuno Tavares’ Portugal.
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