England Under-21s manager Lee Carsley expressed his frustration after his team was held to a 0-0 draw by Slovenia in their second match of the European Championship campaign. The stalemate in Nitra, Slovakia, leaves England's qualification for the knockout stage hanging in the balance, despite having several clear-cut chances to secure a victory.

The Young Lions, who began their title defense with a 3-1 win over Czechia, were expected to dominate against a Slovenia side considered to be the underdogs in Group B. However, a combination of wasteful finishing and resilient defending from the Slovenians resulted in a frustrating evening for Carsley's men.

Throughout the match, England created numerous opportunities to break the deadlock. Ethan Nwaneri missed a tap-in, James McAtee dragged a close-range effort wide, and Harvey Elliott was denied by the post. Slovenia's goalkeeper, Martin Turk, also played a crucial role, making a vital save in stoppage time to deny Jack Hinshelwood's powerful header.

Carsley acknowledged his team's failure to capitalize on their chances. "It was a very tough game. We definitely didn't underestimate Slovenia, who are a good, well-organised team," he told UEFA.com. "I definitely think we had enough chances to win, though, so the frustration is that we didn't take those opportunities."

Despite the disappointing result, Carsley remained optimistic about his team's chances of progressing in the tournament. He emphasized the need for improvement in their upcoming match against Germany, stating, "I expect us to be better against Germany. I think we'll need to freshen the team up. It's important to take into consideration their age and the amount they've played, so we'll make sure we utilise the squad."

England's goalkeeper, James Beadle, who was called into action on three occasions to keep Slovenia from scoring, echoed Carsley's sentiments. "There are no easy games in this tournament, and Slovenia have real quality," Beadle said. "If you can't win the game, don't lose it, and we move on. I'm satisfied with my personal performance, but obviously disappointed we didn't win."

Captain James McAtee also expressed his disappointment with the missed chances, saying, "I'm a bit annoyed at myself for the chances I missed, but the same goes for the rest of the lads. We're disappointed with the result, but it's a point, and we have another game coming up soon, so we'll focus on that."

The draw leaves England at the top of Group B, but their qualification is far from guaranteed. A loss against Germany in their final group match could see them exit the tournament early, depending on the result between Slovenia and Czech Republic. The Young Lions will need to regroup quickly and find their scoring touch if they want to progress further in the competition.