Gareth Southgate's Young Lions edge past Sweden

Substitute Jesse Lingard scored a late winner as Gareth Southgate's Young Lions beat Sweden 1-0 in Olomouc to keep their Euro 2015 U21 Championships hopes alive.

England realistically needed three points to stay in the hunt for a semi-final place, and they finally secured the victory when Manchester United youngster Lingard drilled home an 85th minute half-volley from the edge of the area after Sweden goalkeeper Patrick Carlgren had only half-cleared a Luke Garbutt corner.

The victory, England's first in the Euro U21 finals since 2011, was hard won as the Young Lions struggled to break down Sweden's effective 4-4-2 formation, with the midfield trio of Tom Carroll, Will Hughes and Nathaniel Chalobah unable to combine effectively with lone striker Harry Kane.

Southgate's decision to introduce Danny Ings at half-time allowed England to stretch Hacan Ericson's side more in the second half, but it needed Lingard's moment of magic to finally break the Swedish defence.

There were hugs and clenched fists at the final whistle between Southgate and his backroom team, but England may still need a result against Italy on Wednesday to guarantee a place in the last four.

22' – CHANCE! Guidetti gets the ball down the right and finds Tibbling, who chests the ball down but shoots a tame shot at Butland.

26' – CHANCE! Kane hurls himself at the ball to try and divert Jenkinson's deep cross towards goal.

27' – CHANCE! Two chances in a minute, as Will Hughes pokes the ball wide under pressure from Helander, from Pritchard's chip into the box from the left.

41' – SAVE! Baffo fouls Hughes, and Kane's optimistic side-footed free-kick is easily saved by Carlgren.

42' – SAVE! Sweden play the ball in behind Thelin, who cushions the ball back to Guidetti, who forces Butland into the save.

43' – SAVE! Cross from Tibbling from the left finds Thelin, who heads straight at Butland.

72 ' - CHANCE! Thelin fails to get a jump on Garbutt to Guidetti's angled cross to the far post, and then looks in vain to the referee for a penalty.

81'- SAVE! Ishak tries an effort that stings the hands of Butland.

83' – SAVE! Redmond tries an effort that forces a near-post save from Carlgren.

85' – GOAL! Sweden 0-1 England. Carlgren's punches clear Garbutt's corner from the right, and Lingard half-volleys home into the top corner from 18 yards.

England's victory over Sweden was their first in the Euro 21 final for six years and 12 matches. The Young Lions were eliminated at the group stage at the 2011 and 2013 Championships under Stuart Pearce.

Jesse Lingard's strike was the first time England have scored in the finals from open play since Danny Welbeck's strike against the Czech Republic in 2011.

England Under-21 manager Gareth Southgate sees the tournament in the Czech Republic as a learning curve for his young players, and a chance to develop the “England DNA” demanded by technical director Dan Ashworth.

Ashworth, who alongside national team manager Roy Hodgson is taking a watching brief in Olomouc, wants all the junior teams to play a style of passing football which will eventually be replicated at senior level.

But should the players be encouraged to win first, and then worry about technique?

Alex Pritchard (England). The Tottenham winger was preferred to Jesse Lingard on the right, and the 22-year-old was a bright presence until he limped out in the second half with an ankle problem.

Pritchard, who was on loan at Brentford last year, was the one player who tried to run at the static Sweden defence in the first half.

SWEDEN: Carlgren 5, Lindelöf 6, Helander 7, Augustinsson 7, Baffo 5, Lewicki 6, Hiljemark 7, Khalili 7, Tibbling 7, Guidetti 6, Kiese Thelin 6. Subs: Ishak 6, Larsson 6, Quaison 6.

ENGLAND: Butland 6, Jenkinson 6, Moore 5, Gibson 6, Garbutt 5, Chalobah 6, Hughes 7, Carroll 7, Pritchard 8, Redmond 6, Kane 7. Subs: Ings 7, Loftus-Cheek 6, Lingard 7.