Marcus Rashford scored a hat-trick on his
England Under-21 debut as Gareth Southgate's side saw off Norway
Under-21s 6-1 in their Euro 2017 Qualifier in Colchester.
Manchester United star, Rashford, scored against the run of
play with a neat finish inside the area in the first half, meaning he
has now scored on both his senior debut and Under-21 debut for England.
Chelsea's
Nathaniel Chalobah added a second moments later with a volley from six
yards, before his club team-mate Ruben Loftus-Cheek swept home a fine
third.
Rashford's deflected effort then looped into the top corner on 66
minutes, and though Ghayas Zahid grabbed a headed consolation, the
18-year-old completed his hat-trick with a penalty moments later.
Lewis
Baker, on loan at Vitesse from Chelsea, hooked home a sixth late on,
and the result means England go back to top spot in Group 9 with two
games remaining, two points ahead of second-place Switzerland.
Rashford, 18, was making his first start for England Under-21s, while
Real Madrid's Martin Odegaard started for the opposition at the Weston
Homes Community Stadium.
Norway started the brightest, forcing Angus Gunn into a string of
early saves. First, Mohamed Elyounoussi was denied at the near post as
Gunn beat away his fierce effort, before the Manchester City stopper was
at it again, denying the same player with a fine save to his right from
an effort inside the area.
Moments later Gunn was at his best to
deny Iver Fossum, whose near post header from Odegaard's cross was
parried away at point-blank range.
Despite their early dominance, Norway were behind just before the
half-hour mark. Rashford, racing on to a deflected through ball from
Chalobah, poked the ball past Sondre Rossbach into the bottom right
corner from inside the area.
It was 2-0 eight minutes before the
break, Chalobah volleying home from close range for his first Under-21
goal after James Ward-Prowse's sumptuous free-kick from the right.
Rashford was denied at close range by Rossbach after the break,
before Loftus-Cheek got the goal his performance deserved on 64 minutes,
curling home into the bottom corner from Nathan Redmond's square ball
to start a period of four goals in eight minutes.
Rashford got his
second and England's fourth two minutes later, seeing his effort from
inside the area deflect and curl into the top corner, before Norway
substitute Zahid headed in a neat consolation at the near post.
England were awarded a penalty on 72 minutes as Rashford's cross was
handled by Thomas Grogaard, and usual penalty taker Ward-Prowse stepped
aside to allow him to convert for his third goal of the game.
Redmond
hit the post later in the half with a left-footed drive from 30 yards,
and Baker completed the rout with four minutes remaining, directing
Ward-Prowse's corner into the bottom right corner with a fine finish.
