Petah Tikva played host to the European Under-21 Championship match between England and Norway on Saturday.
Having failed to win their respective opening fixtures in Group A, both sides were desperate to get three points on the board.
England had lost 1-0 to Italy on Wednesday, while Norway had required a last-minite equaliser from Harmeet Singh to earn a 2-2 draw with hosts Israel on the same day.
Three Lions boss Stuart Pearce made five changes to his team following that disappointing defeat in Jaffa.
Hello and welcome to the HaMoshava Stadium in Petah Tikva, Israel, for this crucial Group A clash.
TEAM NEWS: Pearce overhauls his side following vocal criticism of their performance against Italy. Wilfried Zaha, Thomas Ince, Danny Rose, Nathaniel Chalobah and Adam Smith all start.
ENGLAND: Butland, Smith, Caulker, Dawson, Rose, Chalobah, Henderson, Lowe, Ince, Zaha, Redmond.
Subs: Steele, Clyne, Wisdom, Lees, Robinson, McEachran, Lansbury, Shelvey, Delfouneso, Sordell, Wickham, Rudd.
Subs: Steele, Clyne, Wisdom, Lees, Robinson, McEachran, Lansbury, Shelvey, Delfouneso, Sordell, Wickham, Rudd.
NORWAY: Nyland, Elabdellaoui, Rogne, Semb Berge, Strandberg, Singh, Johansen, Eikrem, Berget, Pedersen, Nielsen.
Subs: Ostbo, Linnes, Berisha, Henriksen, Nordtveit, de Lanlay, Konradssen, Kastrati, King, Ibrahim.
Subs: Ostbo, Linnes, Berisha, Henriksen, Nordtveit, de Lanlay, Konradssen, Kastrati, King, Ibrahim.
Nathaniel Clyne, Marvin Sordell, Connor Wickham, Jack Robinson and Jonjo Shelvey all drop to the bench for England, whose squad includes five players with full international caps to their names.
However, Jordan Henderson, who captains the side today, is the only one of those five to have been capped more than once - five times.
Interesting, 14 players in the Norway squad have already represented their country at senior level.
Zaha is expected to play as a lone striker tonight. The Manchester United new boy usually operates as a winger, but Ince and Nathan Redmond look poised to fill the wide roles.
Pearce says that nerves were to blame for England's disappointing showing on Wednesday.
He told reporters: "We've spoken to the squad since the last game and I've been around long enough to know that a first game at a tournament often throws up nerves and an average performance...
... It's winner takes it all time. We plan to have a lot more energy and legs about us, and we're going to try and win the game...
... We've got two games in front of us and we're going to try and win them both - if we don't then we might have a boarding pass home."
On the hot summer weather in Israel, where temperatures are hovering around 38°C tonight, Pearce jokes: "That's good for us. The Norwegians haven't seen the sun for eight months!"
Back to the teams, Norway have made two changes following their dramatic draw with the hosts. Celtic defender Thomas Rogne and Vegar Eggen Hedenstad, who is suspended, drop out. Havard Nielsen and goalscoring hero Harmeet Singh are drafted in.
PREDICTION: These two met twice in qualifying, where England won both home and away. There are a lot of pacy and confident individuals in this Three Lions team and I think that will see them come out on top again.
The national anthems are over and kick-off is just moments away. As is customary with footballers and God Save the Queen, most either abstained from singing or just mumbled. However, Caulker and Henderson must be commended, as they blasted it out!
Norway get the game underway...
Possession is monopolised by Norway for the opening 80 seconds, however England's defence is relieved of all pressure when former Manchester United youngster Magnus Eikrem fires well wide from 25 yards.
England have started well. Redmond and Jason Lowe look particularly sharp on the ball, while Danny Rose is frequently getting forward from left-back. The Spurs defender almost catches out goalkeeper Orjan Nyland with a deep cross that dips just over the crossbar.
Rose looks like England's main threat right now. Norway clearly have a plan to try to stop wingers Ince and Redmond, however the appearance of Rose in the final third seems to be catching them unprepared. England win the game's first corner, which comes to nothing.
CHANCE: Craig Dawson gets caught out as he tries to nick a ball that wasn't there to be nicked. As a result, Omar Elabdellaoui is allowed to sprint through on goal, but the Eintracht Braunschweig wideman smashes wide.
England twice go close from long range as, first, Rose cuts inside from the left and curls just wide with his weaker foot, before Ince drags a low effort narrowly beyond the post from 20 yards.
Rose is in the attacking action again, as he rises highest in the six-yard box, but heads over from Henderson's whipped free kick.
GOAL FOR NORWAY: 0-1
Semb Berge puts Norway ahead against the run of play. Despite numerous opportunities, England fail to clear a corner from the left. The ball eventually falls to Berge, who holds off two Three Lions defenders with his back to goal before turning and beating Jack Butland with a low drive from 10 yards.
England look a little bit shellshocked. They need to regain their composure and just keep the ball for a few minutes.
CHANCE: Norway almost double their lead from another corner. Again it is Berge who gets his head to the set piece, but, on this occasion, his flicked effort at the near post drifts away and out for a goal kick.
Norway are defending very deep, but England have managed to piece together a decent spell of very tidy possession. One feels that, if the Three Lions were to find an equaliser before half time, then they would most probably go on to win this game.
CHANCE: Lovely move by England. They attack down the left with Ince, who plays the ball inside to Zaha. The Former Crystal Palace man does very well to find right-back Smith on the overlap. Smith's cross almost falls Zaha in the six-yard box, but Norway frantically clear.
CHANCE: More pressure from England. With his back to goal, Henderson nods a long ball down into the path of Zaha, who volleys high and wide from just outside of the penalty area.
GOAL FOR NORWAY: 0-2
Jo Inge Berget doubles Norway's lead. The goals may have come against the run of play, but England cannot have any complaints - their defending has not been good enough. With that being said, this was a beautifully-taken goal. Nielsen got the better of Caulker and hooked a clever through ball into the path of Berget, who, on his left foot, smashed a fierce effort across Jack Butland and into the top corner from 12 yards.
It is not going to plan for England's young footballers in Israel. However, on a positive note, our nation's cricketers look to be on course to achieve a big victory over Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy. You can follow the final overs of that match by clicking here.
DISALLOWED GOAL: For the second time in this tournament, an England centre-back has a goal chalked off. This time, though, the decision was certainly the correct one. Caulker latches onto a brilliant Henderson free-kick and bullets a header beyond Nyland at the far post. However, replays confirm that the Tottenham defender was offside.
HALF TIME: ENGLAND 0-2 NORWAY.
Well, England are on the verge of an early exit here. Their opponents have been clinical and left the Three Lions with a huge task ahead of them.
England have dominated possession with 75%, but they have only manufactured six shots, one of which has been on target.
Meanwhile, Norway have registered 10 shots, four of which have been on target.
Pearce needs to make a change. All of Norway's attacking success has come as a result of direct play. England must take note. I expect Nathan Delfouneso, Marvin Sordell or Connor Wickham to be introduced quite soon.
I was right. Wickham is going to replace Lowe at the start of the second half.
England get the second period underway...
CHANCE: Wickham very nearly makes an immediate impact as he flicks a long ball through to Ince, whose low shot deflects just wide for a corner.
The corner is cleared as far as Henderson on the edge of the penalty area. The England skipper unleashes a venomous volley goalwards, forcing a top save out of Nyland. Positive start to the second half by England.
CHANCE: More England pressure as Rose sprints away down the left and drills in a low cross towards Wickham, who fails to make clean contact at the near post.
GOAL FOR NORWAY: 0-3
Noway find the net with their first attack of the second half and it should be game over. Marcus Pedersen goes on a jinking run down the right and pulls the ball back to Eikrem, who thumps home off the underside of the crossbar.
PENALTY TO ENGLAND!
England have a chance to get back into this match as Norwegian goalscorer Berge is penalised for holding Craig Dawson. However, in my opinion, the decision to award the spot kick was like Velvet toilet tissue: soft, soft, soft. Dawson will take the penalty himself.
GOAL FOR ENGLAND: 1-3.
The West Brom defender makes no mistake from 12 yards as he opens up his body and places the ball low and just beyond the reach of Nyland, who dived the right way.
Norway make their first substitution of the evening as the busy Berge is replaced by Martin Linnes.
The momentum is back with England, but they have got a lot of work to do. Remember, a draw would keep them in the tournament, but they would then require other results to go their way.
CHANCE: Norway come very close to getting a fourth, but Pedersen's header, which comes following a floated 60-yard ball from the halfway line, misses Butland's right post by two yards.
England make their second substitution as Redmond jogs off and is replaced by Jonjo Shelvey.
Another of Norway's goalscorers is replaced as Eikrem makes way for Abdissalam Ibrahim.
CHANCE: Zaha, who has moved out wide onto the left wing since Shelvey's introduction, leads a pacy England counter-attack, but fires straight into a wall of players from 10 yards.
There is currently a significant break in play due to an injury to Rogne, who is a little worse for wear after losing an aerial battle with Wickham
This is farcical. Rogne sits on the ground until he is collected by the medics on their motorised stretcher. After a brief ride on the injury fun bus, Rogne decides that he is ok and jogs back into the action.
PENALTY APPEAL: Norway have a very good case for a spot kick as Rose tugs on the shoulder of Berget, but the referee is having none of hit.
DIVE: England captain Henderson enters the referee's notebook after throwing himself to ground 25 yards from goal. The Liverpool midfielder was anticipating contact from Strandberg, but it never came.
Norway make their final change of the night as Havard Nordtveit, who played 90 minutes for the senior side in yesterday's 1-1 draw with Albania, replaces the delicate Rogne.
More changes. England's goalscorer Dawson leaves the field to make way for Andre Wisdom.
CHANCE: England lump it long to Caulker, who is temporarily leading the line as a makeshift centre-forward. He nods the ball down to Wickham, whose powerful drive is well blocked by Stefan Strandberg.
Chalobah picks up a yellow card for a frustrated foul on Pedersen.
Rogne's recent injury timeout means that there will be a minimum of five minutes added on. England need two goals to stay in the tournament. Can Caulker deliver?
Well, he wins a corner for his side. The set piece is floated to Henderson, who is hovering in the deep. He goes for a spectacular volley, which is spectacularly bad.
FULL TIME: ENGLAND 1-3 NORWAY.
The Three Lions are eliminated, Norway are elated and Stuart Pearce will be preparing to answer questions on his future. Surely questions also have to be asked regarding the future of England's participation in these events. It has been an embarrassing campaign, which starting badly with numerous stars opting to pull out of the squad.
That's it from me for today. The other game in Group A is about to get underway between Italy and Israel. If that's what floats your boat, click here to follow the match with Mark Langshaw's words of wisdom. From me, Good night.
Written by
Robert Summerscales
Robert Summerscales
Spain U21s
