Israel vs England U21 – LIVE!

England U21s are just one step away from the final of the European Under-21 Championship after a remarkable tournament so far. Lee Carsley’s side have largely flown through their games until this point and have already beaten today’s opponents in Israel in the group stage.

They have, however, been dealt a big injury blow. Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey has played a key role for the Young Lions but has been ruled out through injury for the rest of the tournament, while both Max Aarons and Ben Johnson of Norwich and Millwall respectively are suspended.

England have not reached the final since a squad containing the likes of James Milner, Joe Hart and Theo Walcott in 2009. Only twice have they won the tournament at this age level, with the last victory coming in 2009. Spain and Ukraine will contest the other semi-final later this evening. Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog below!

Israel vs England U21 latest news

• GOAL! Archer settles it in the final minute

• GOAL! Palmer sweeps home Smith Rowe cross

• GOAL! Gibbs-White thumps home stunning header

• PENALTY MISS: Gibbs-White fires wide!

• Prediction: England to make it into the final

18:55 , Alex Young

A stunning second-half display to seal the win. While in the first half, Israel threatened to do, well, something, it was a different story after the break. England dominated from the off and Israel had no answer.

Gibbs-White was the best of an impressive crop.

18:53 , Alex Young

95min: Full-time! England are into the final!

18:51 , Alex Young

91min: Four minutes added on.

GOAL!

18:50 , Alex Young

90min: That settles it! Archer fires home from inside the area after Palmer’s smart cutback.

18:48 , Alex Young

89min: Fifth change for England as Jones is replaced by Doyle.

18:47 , Alex Young

88min: England look to launch a counter as Israel again push for the first of two needed goals, but Madueke’s poor touch lets him down.

18:44 , Alex Young

84min: Israel finally showing some signs of attacking threat and actually test Trafford with their first shot on goal as Khalaili meets a cross at the back post, but play is stopped for a foul on the goalkeeper.

18:39 , Alex Young

79min: Two more changes for England as Skipp and Madueku replace Gomes and Gibbs-White.

18:34 , Alex Young

75min: Double change for England as Smith Rowe and Gordon are replaced by Archer and Elliott.

18:33 , Alex Young

74min: Gibbs-White feeds Gordon into the area, who really should score but shoots straight at the keeper. The offside flag is raised to spare his blushes.

18:32 , Alex Young

73min: Almost a delicious behind-the-back flicked pass from Jones to Smith Rowe to set up a counter, but Israel just about hack the danger clear.

That was something.

18:29 , Alex Young

70min: Little break in play as Israel’s Turgeman goes down under no pressure. He looks like he’ll be OK but that briefly looked like a worry.

GOAL GIVEN!

18:25 , Alex Young

66min: These VAR checks are not quick. It’s a tight call... and it’s overturned!

Palmer’s goal is reinstated after three long minutes. He tucked home Smith Rowe’s pass across the face of goal.

NO GOAL!

18:23 , Alex Young

63min: Palmer thinks he has swept home a second but the offside flag is up.

Smith Rowe appears to be offside in the build-up. It will be checked.

18:22 , Alex Young

61min: Israel not showing anywhere near the urgency of the first half, despite now trailing.

18:18 , Alex Young

58min: Gordon is so busy near the area and almost gets found with a darting run by Jones. It feels only a matter of time before England get their second.

18:16 , Alex Young

56min: Double change for Israel. Gurno and Khalaili replace Hajaj and Layous.

18:13 , Alex Young

53min: Gomes is down receiving treatment after a heavy knock, but he’ll be fine.

18:10 , Alex Young

52min: Israel can’t keep hold of the ball at the moment. England are pressing them, sure, but it’s also unforced errors.

18:09 , Alex Young

50min: England aren’t missing about here. Gordon with a snapshot wide of the post after nutmegging a defender inside the area.

18:08 , Alex Young

49min: My word, that was almost spectacular!

Gomes turns on a sixpence and sends an inch-perfect cross forward onto Gibbs-White’s foot inside the area, but the subsequent volley is wide.

18:07 , Alex Young

48min: I’m not sure Israel have touched the ball yet beyond that goal kick.

18:05 , Alex Young

46min: Smith Rowe with a shot on target after 22 seconds, latching onto a smart backheel from Gibbs-White, but it’s weak and easy for Tzarfati.

Second half!

18:04 , Alex Young

46min: We’re back underway.

18:03 , Alex Young

Some England fans from Nottingham in the crowd, judging by the very specific postcode on their flag.

No doubt delighted by Gibbs-White’s goal.

18:00 , Alex Young

Almost time to restart. No signs of any changes yet.

17:53 , Alex Young

An interesting first half. England largely bossed possession - boasting 67 per cent - and were denied on the line, hit the post and missed a penalty before Gibbs-White scored.

But Israel look far from out of it. Only half-chances for them so far, but it’s not been all England’s way.

Half-time!

17:49 , Alex Young

49min: There’s the whistle!

17:47 , Alex Young

45min: Three minutes added on.

Israel 0-1 England

17:45 , Alex Young

43min: You could sense Carsley’s relief with his goal celebration. It’s been coming, just took longer than expected.

GOAL!

17:43 , Alex Young

42min: Finally!

England get their breakthrough after more patient play, and it’s a stunning header by Gibbs-White, making amends for his penalty miss.

He meets Palmer’s cross, to thump the ball into the top left-hand corner.

17:41 , Alex Young

39min: Chance for Israel!

Trafford boots the ball poorly into touch and Israel are quick to pounce. They work the ball to Gloukh to turn and half-volley at goal, which has the keeper scrambling but does sail wide.

17:39 , Alex Young

35min: England still bossing possession but simply unable to find a breakthrough.

Jones darts into the area but is met by three Israeli defenders, so checks back and lets Gomes float a cross in, which is headed away.

17:33 , Alex Young

31min: Everything goes through Smith Rowe and Jones as England probe for a gap in a well-drilled Israel defence.

Nothing doing yet, but Israel are being stretched.

17:30 , Alex Young

28min: Looks like it took a deflection, and Israel win a corner.

The delivery is floated into the six-yard box and Cohen meets it but gets underneath the ball and it bounces about five yards wide.

17:29 , Alex Young

27min: Israel with half a chance as Layous carves open a space on the edge of the area, but his shot is dragged wide.

17:25 , Alex Young

23min: Interesting stat: Israel have faced five penalties across four games, including two in a shootout.

All five have been missed.

17:24 , Alex Young

22min: Israel have been given a boost by England’s miss, look far more on the front foot since the scare.

17:21 , Alex Young

19min: That was a dreadful penalty by Gibbs-White.

You can see what he was doing, but it’s a good yard wide.

17:19 , Alex Young

18min: Missed! Gibbs-White fires wide of the keeper’s left-hand post!

17:18 , Alex Young

17min: Penalty given for a foul on Gordon. Gibbs-White to take...

17:17 , Alex Young

16min: VAR check is still ongoing...

OFF THE LINE!

17:15 , Alex Young

13min: How did England not score?!

Gordon does everything right by chasing down the keeper, but Smith Rowe cannot beat the defender on the line, and then hits the post seconds later!

VAR are checking for a penalty...

17:11 , Alex Young

10min: Smith Rowe is seeing plenty of the ball on the left-hand side, linking up with Jones in the centre.

Gomes tries his luck from 30 yards, but it fizzes over the bar.

17:08 , Alex Young

7min: England win their own corner, which Gibbs-White sends to the back post and is met by Colwill but it’s not troubling the keeper.

17:07 , Alex Young

6min: Up the other end, Gibbs-White does well to clear as Israel attack behind for a corner.

The set-piece is spun in for soon sent high and wide over the bar on the volley.

17:06 , Alex Young

4min: Almost a breakthrough for England!

Smart work on the edge of the area as Smith Rowe and Jones play a quick one-two before the latter tries to feed Gordon but the pass is scrambled away.

17:04 , Alex Young

2min: Early possession for England, with Israel happy for their opponents to take their time on the ball before giving away a throw in.

Kick-off!

17:02 , Alex Young

1min: Here we go!

16:56 , Alex Young

The teams are out. It’s almost time.

England are looking to reach their first Euros final since 2009.

16:53 , Alex Young

Not long to go now.

16:42 , Alex Young

England, of course, have yet to concede in the tournament after four games.

Israel, too, have only conceded twice - both of them in their earlier meeting with England.

The Young Lions are clear favourites today, but Israel are no pushovers.

16:21 , Alex Young

Israel subs: Morgan, Blorian, Bar, Giorno, Khalaili, Bilu, Hofmeister, Prada, Keouf, Abu Rumi

England subs: Skipp, Archer, Branthwaite, Griffiths, Cresswell, Doyle, Elliott, Rushworth, Madueke

16:16 , Alex Young

Israel XI: Tzarfati; Lemkin, Cohen, Gandelman; Jaber, Azoulay, Gloukh, Hagag, Revivo; Turgeman, Layous

16:13 , Alex Young

So, two changes for England.

Noni Madueke has been dropped to the bench as Cole Palmer comes in. Emile Smith Rowe replaces the injured Jacob Ramsey.

16:11 , Alex Young

England XI: Trafford; Garner, Harwood-Bellis, Colwill, L. Thomas; Palmer, Gomes, C. Jones; Gibbs-White; Gordon, Smith Rowe

England XI

16:05 , Alex Young

Here it is!

15:55 , Alex Young

Anthony Gordon and Morgan Gibbs-White are expected to start again after superb campaigns so far.

Confirmed team news is imminent.

15:31 , Alex Young

These two teams have already faced each other in the tournament, of course, with England winning comfortably 2-0.

Anthony Gordon and Emile Smith Rowe got the goals. Both should start tonight.

England not ‘favourites'

15:11 , Alex Young

England are not "favourites" to win the Euros, insists manager Lee Carsley.

"I've spoken to the players about how it's important for them to go out and express themselves," Carsley said. "They've shown a real maturity to the way they've approached every game and every challenge.

"As a staff, it was important that we never deviated from the next thing being the most important.

"We spoke about making sure we don't look forward to the game too much because I've been there before myself as a player where you almost play the game in your mind and when you get to the game, you're done."

Pochettino’s fast-track plan for Colwill leaves Chalobah’s future uncertain

14:53 , Jonathan Gorrie

Trevoh Chalobah faces uncertainty over his Chelsea future, with Mauricio Pochettino ready to fast-track England U21 star Levi Colwill into a prominent role at Stamford Bridge.

Pochettino prefers working with smaller squads and is understood to only want four first-team centre-backs as he prepares to move to a back-four next season.

Standard Sport reported last month that Inter Milan want to sign Chalobah this summer.

While the 24-year-old would like to stay at Chelsea as a regular starter, that possibility looks increasingly unlikely.

Read the full story here!

How England booked their place in the Euro 2023 semi-final

14:43 , Jonathan Gorrie

England sealed their place in the semi-finals of the European Under-21 Championship for the first time since 2017 after a nervy 1-0 win over Portugal.

The Young Lions will face a second meeting of the tournament with Group C rivals Israel in Wednesday’s last-four clash in Batumi after a brilliantly-worked first-half goal from Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon was enough to see off the 2021 runners-up at Kutaisi’s Ramaz Shengelia Stadium on Sunday night, despite a one-sided second half.

Lee Carsley’s England - who have still yet to concede a single goal at the tournament - will now be confident of reaching the final of this competition for the first time since 2009, having already seen off Israel 2-0 in the group stage last weekend courtesy of goals from Gordon and Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe.

Carsley confident as England face U21 Euros semi-final without Jacob Ramsey

14:38 , Jonathan Gorrie

England U21 head coach Lee Carsley insists his squad are strong enough to cope without injured Jacob Ramsey, as they bid to reach the final of the European Championship for the first time since 2009.

Ramsey has been England’s most influential player on their run to the semi-finals, but the Aston Villa midfielder has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament with an ankle injury.

Carsley will decide between either Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe or Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott to replace Ramsey against Israel tonight.

England are yet to concede a goal in the tournament and are being tipped to progress to face either Spain or Ukraine in the final.

Read the full story here!

Prediction: England to make the final

14:34 , Jonathan Gorrie

Given how England dispatched Israel last weekend, it’s hard to see how things turn around in such a short space of time.

Playing with supreme confidence, the Young Lions look destined for the final.

England team news: Jacob Ramsey injured

14:32 , Jonathan Gorrie

England will be without their best player for tonight’s European U21 Championships semi-final against Israel, and manager Lee Carsley does not see them as favourites.

Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey is out of the tournament after hurting his ankle and leaving the stadium on crutches following Sunday’s quarter-final win over Portugal.

England have full-backs Max Aarons and Ben Johnson suspended for the match in Batumi, so Carsley is expected to ring the changes and could start Leicester left-back Luke Thomas.

How to Israel vs England U21 today

14:31 , Jonathan Gorrie

TV channel and live stream: The game will be broadcast on the official UEFA website and coverage starts at 5pm BST.

LIVE blog: Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog.

Welcome

14:17 , Jonathan Gorrie

Good afternoon and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of England U21s Euro 2023 semi-final with Israel.

Kick-off from the Batumi Arena in Batumi, Georgia is at 5pm BST.