Heartbreak for Lee Carsley as Greek God Strikes in Dying Embers

England U21 team suffered a bitter blow in their latest match as they went down to a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of Greece U21. A gut-wrenching stoppage-time winner from Vangelis Pavlidis sealed all three points for the visitors in a closely contested match that saw both teams create a number of chances throughout. This result will undoubtedly come as a huge disappointment to Lee Carsley and his troops as they looked to build some momentum in the wake of their most recent outings.

The match was a perfect tribute to George Baldock who has been an inspiration to many young players both on and off the pitch and the intensity of the match was a testament to the players' resolve to honor his legacy. Despite England's best efforts they were unable to capitalize on their scoring opportunities and were made to pay for their lack of clinical edge in front of goal as Pavlidis popped up in the right place at the right time to score the winner.

This last-gasp defeat is sure to be a difficult pill for the England U21 team to swallow especially given the fact that they matched their opponents for the entirety of the match. With the likes of Sheffield United's George Baldock watching from the sidelines the team's failure to secure a positive result is bound to be met with disappointment by fans and coaching staff alike.

The fixture provided an opportunity for both countries to showcase the talents of their up-and-coming stars in front of a packed stadium and it is clear that there is an abundance of gifted young players in the ranks of both nations. With this match being one of the early outings of the campaign for both teams it will be interesting to see how they both progress in their next matches.

As the dust settles on this latest defeat all eyes will be on how Lee Carsley and his coaching staff respond to the setback and the players for whom they came so close to securing a winning performance. One thing for sure is that when the team next convenes for training it will be an opportunity to reflect and regroup as they bid to recapture their winning form.