England U21-Ecuador XI: Young Lions Taste Rare Defeat

England Under 21s succumbed to their first defeat in 90 minutes since 2005 as they let a two-goal halftime lead slip against an experienced Ecuador XI in a 3-2 loss.

Stuart Pearce’s team had started cautiously in an experimental formation with Michael Mancienne lining up in an unfamiliar midfield role, and almost fell behind when Walter Ayovi curled an early free-kick onto a post.

However, with just under a quarter of an hour played Adam Johnson pounced on defensive hesitancy to give England the lead with a stunning individual goal, drawing parallels with Paul Gascoigne’s solo effort against Scotland in Euro ’96. The Middlesbrough winger lifting the ball over the defender's head with his left foot before volleying home on his weaker right, striking across the goalkeeper into the far corner.

Ecuador then edged proceedings until halftime with more controlled possession but were hit by an England counter attack just before the break, Michael Kightly setting up Fraizer Campbell to give his side a two goal advantage.

Yet not even ten minutes into the second period and Ecuador had levelled the match with two goals in as many minutes as first Joffre Guerron struck, before Pablo Palacios sprung the offside trap and calmly even the score.

Ecuador enjoyed more and more of the possession as the match drew to a close and after spurning a few decent opportunities finally got their reward when Manchester City’s Felipe Caicedo turned Richard Stearman in the box before firing in at the near post.

Campbell had an equaliser chalked off for offside as the Three Lions suffered a rare defeat.

Ecuador’s starting XI had an average age of just under 27 and almost 400 full international caps between them, whereas only Micah Richards had played at senior level on England’s side and this gulf in experience told in the end.

Stuart Pearce’s side had previously only suffered a penalty shoot-out loss to Holland in the past three years but the coach will have been encouraged by the performance of many of his young players against vastly experienced opposition.