Nitra, Slovakia – In a tightly contested Group B match at the UEFA Under-21 European Championship, Slovenia held England to a 0-0 draw, keeping their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages alive. The match, played at Štadión pod Zoborom on Sunday, saw both sides create chances, but neither could find the back of the net, thanks in large part to outstanding goalkeeping performances, particularly from Slovenia's Martin Turk, who denied England on multiple occasions.
Slovenia, looking to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat to Germany in their opening fixture, started the game brightly, putting England's defense under pressure early on. Svit Seslar proved a constant threat, with an early free-kick causing problems and an acrobatic overhead kick attempt that sailed just over the bar. Tio Cipot also forced a good save from England goalkeeper James Beadle after latching onto a flick-on from a corner.
England, who made two changes from their winning side against Czechia, struggled to find the same fluidity in their build-up play. Their first real chance came in the 21st minute when a fortunate deflection put James McAtee through, but the captain dragged his shot wide. Jonathan Rowe caused problems down the wing, but Ethan Nwaneri couldn't convert his cross at the back post. Just before halftime, Seslar again tested Beadle, who tipped his strike over the bar. England almost broke the deadlock when Elliot Anderson found Harvey Elliott in the box, but his guided effort rebounded off the far post.
The second half began with McAtee presented with a glorious opportunity, only to be thwarted by a superb save from Turk, with his follow-up attempt going wide. Beadle responded in kind, denying a venomous shot from Seslar. As the half wore on, England manager Lee Carsley turned to his bench, introducing Omari Hutchinson, Jay Stansfield, Tyler Morton, Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Jack Hinshelwood in search of a winner.
Despite the fresh legs, England struggled to break down a resilient Slovenian defense. Harvey Elliott had another chance late on but couldn't keep his shot down. In added time, Turk produced a stunning save to deny Hinshelwood's header, ensuring the stalemate.
The draw means England now have four points in Group B and know that a win against Germany in their final group game on Wednesday will guarantee qualification to the knockout stages. Slovenia, meanwhile, will need to win their final match and hope other results go their way to have any chance of progressing.
Martin Turk's performance was the key factor in Slovenia securing the draw, denying England's increasingly desperate attempts to score, particularly in the closing stages. While England created more openings, they left it late to really test Turk, whose heroics ultimately earned his side a valuable point.
