Andorra U21s Hold England to 1-1 Draw in Euro Qualifier Thriller

Andorra's under-21 football team secured a 1-1 draw against England at Estadi Nacional on Friday evening, denying the two-time defending European champions a victory in their Euro qualifying Group D clash.

Gerard Solà gave the hosts the lead in the 52nd minute, volleying home a precise cross from Yedid Santaella at the far post after Hugo Ferreira sparked the move from midfield. England equalised dramatically in the 89th minute from the penalty spot, with Rico Lewis converting following a foul by Ian Olivera on Jobe Bellingham. The result echoed Andorra's 3-3 draw against England in the 2021 qualifiers.

The home side started strongly, generating the first chance in the third minute as Santaella's cross narrowly eluded Solà. Ot Remolins went closest in the first half, curling a shot from the edge of the box just past the post after a long ball to Solà. Andorra pressed forward around the 20-minute mark, establishing a foothold in England's half while the visitors struggled to convert possession into clear openings. England's best first-half efforts included Josh Acheampong heading wide from an Ethan Nwaneri corner, Divin Mubama missing a cross, and Myles Lewis-Skelly firing over.

After the interval, England intensified their attacks with long-range shots from Bellingham and Tyler Dibling, both saved comfortably by Marc de Castro. Andorra's defence stood firm amid mounting pressure, coming close to a second goal when Nil Boutarfas headed over from a corner. The late penalty thwarted a potential historic win, though De Castro preserved the draw with a stop in added time.

Coach Eloy Casals's side, buoyed by a 4-0 win over Ireland in November, remain fourth in the six-team group with seven points despite playing more matches than some rivals. England, unbeaten with five prior wins and a clean sheet entering the game—including a 1-0 victory over Andorra in Derby last October via Tyrique George's goal—top the standings. Andorra conclude their campaign with home games against Moldova and Slovakia in October.

The senior team fell 2-0 to Montenegro in a friendly that day, conceding Stefan Mugoša's late first-half penalty and Milutin Osmajić's 80th-minute goal. They face San Marino at home on Tuesday in preparation for the UEFA Nations League opener in October. Free admission attracted 1,007 fans to the under-21 match, which started at 19:30. Yellow cards went to Iván Domínguez and Ot Remolins for Andorra.