BEEFED-UP Eddie Nketiah used his new-found strength to put England on the brink of Euro qualification.
The Arsenal striker hit the weights over lockdown to cope better with the Premier League’s physicality.
Eddie Nketiah scored the opener as England beat Austria 2-1
His extra power paid off here as he outmuscled Austrian defender Dario Maresic before coolly firing home to break the deadlock.
Ben Godfrey made it 2-0 shortly after the break – though a strike from Patrick Schmidt meant it was not an entirely trouble-free night for the Young Lions in the No Worries Arena.
But in the end it was a sixth win out of six for Aidy Boothroyd’s men, meaning they are six points clear and in need of one more victory to seal safe passage to next year’s finals.
Austria were reeling from a shock 5-1 tonking to Albania last week.
That was the same scoreline England inflicted on them at stadium:MK in October when Nketiah hit a hat-trick.
The Gunners hitman, fresh off another treble in Friday’s 6-0 bashing of Kosovo, moved to within one strike of Alan Shearer’s Under-21 record of 13 goals here on 27 minutes.
His impressive brawn to win the ball was matched by his finish as he confidently dinked it over the on-rushing keeper.
Callum Hudson-Odoi scored a belter in Milton Keynes 11 months ago but he was the supplier this time round as his corner was turned in by Norwich ace Godfrey on 49 minutes.
Under-pressure Austria coach Peter Schottel will have been fearing the worst at that point after Friday’s debacle.
Yet his side showed plenty of fighting spirit and, after Barnsley star Schmidt beat Aaron Ramsdale with half an hour to play, ensured a nervy finish.
Leicester’s James Justin was breathing a sigh of relief when livewire Hannes Wolf went down in the box under his challenge – but nothing was given.
Boothroyd’s side negotiated their way through the remaining minutes to keep up their perfect record.
When likely qualification is secured, the question will be whether they can translate their impeccable form into the finals themselves after some poor tournaments of late.
It remains to be seen but in Nketiah – now joint top-scorer in qualifying with France’s Odsonne Edouard on nine – they have a lethal finisher who would frighten any side.
Leicester winger Demarai Gray scores with ‘unsavable’ shot for England U21 vs Latvia U21
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
