Albion striker Andi Zeqiri squandered two good chances as Switzerland under-21s won 1-0 in their European Championship group stage opener against England.

Both the chances came in the first half. The first came when he was one-on-one with Aaron Ramsdale after a loose pass from Max Aarons, but his effort was straight at the keeper.

He then headed inches wide of the post from a cross later in the half.

Former Seagulls striker Darren Bent, who was a pundit for Sky Sports, felt that Zeqiri looked low on confidence when it came to his chance early on in the first half.

He said: “He has got to score, when you get a guilt-edged chance like that at this level you should be burying it.

“I’m not sure what he is trying to do there with the finish as he could have gone either side.

“For someone that has got 11 goals in 13 games, he looked like someone who is lacking confidence with that finish.”

Switzerland went close to taking the lead early in the second half when Bastien Toma, hit the outside the post after getting on the end of Jeremy Guillemenot's cross.

They did take the lead in the 78th minute, as Dan Ndoye slipped as he went to pull the trigger and the ball hit his other foot and looped over Ramsdale.

Zeqiri had the first chance of the game, after a loose pass from Max Aarons was intercepted by Guillemenot and he then played a pass into Zeqiri who was one-on-one with Ramsdale.

But he had to take the shot on his weaker right foot and put his effort straight at the keeper.

Everton’s Tom Davies then went close for England after Callum Hudson-Odoi played a ball to him on the edge of the box, but his effort went just over the bar.

Hudson-Odoi then went close, after Eddie Nketiah played a pass to Davies, who laid the ball off to the Chelsea winger.

He then glided past two players but curled his effort just wide of the post.

Ndoye then took an ambitious effort from outside of the box, which Ramsdale turned behind for a corner.

From the resulting corner, Switzerland played the ball short and it eventually found its way to Miro Muheim, who whipped in a cross from just outside the box, which Zeqiri met.

But his powerful header dropped inches wide of the post.

Switzerland then struck the frame of the goal four minutes into the second half after Davies’ loose pass was cut out and a ball was played in behind to Guillemenot.

He drove into the penalty area before flashing a ball across the box to Toma, whose effort hit the outside of the post.

Jan Bamert was almost given an early bath after he pulled down Nketiah as he was trying to chase down keeper Anthony Racioppi, but he was given a yellow card despite the risky challenge.

From the resulting free-kick, Hudson-Odoi’s had England's only shot on target of the match, which was well saved by Racioppi.

Substitute Kastriot Imiri was next to test Ramsdale when he cut inside from the left but his dipping effort was well saved by the Sheffield United keeper.

Switzerland took a deserved lead in bizarre fashion late on as substitute Imiri found Ndoye on the edge of the box and as he went for goal, he slipped and the ball hit his other foot and looped over Ramsdale.

The win leaves Switzerland top of Group D.

England- Ramsdale, Aarons, Godfrey, Guehi, Kelly, McNeil (R.Sessegnon, 75), Skipp, Davies (Jones,65), Hudson-Odoi, Smith-Rowe (Eze, 65), Nketiah (Brewster, 75). Subs not used- Bursik, Griffiths, Cantwell, Gallagher, S.Sessegnon, Wilmot, Tanganga, Madueke Yellows- Guehi, 59. Hudson Odoi, 82.

Switzerland- Racioppi, Lotomba (C), Bamert, Zesiger, Muheim, Domgjoni, Jankewitz, Toma (Ruegg, 84), Guillemenot (Imeri,65), Ndoye (Mambimbi,78), Zeqiri. Subs not used-Fayulu, Kohn, Sidler, Stergiou, Van der Werff, Pusic, Rieder, Sohm, Stojilkovic Yellows- Bamert, 62