Bosnia & Herzegovina U21s 0-0 England U21s: Jack Stephens sent off in draw

England dropped the first points of their European Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign as they drew 0-0 away to Bosnia & Herzegovina.

England were reduced to 10 men late in the game in Sarajevo when Jack Stephens was shown a second yellow card.

But they kept their third clean sheet from three matches to take their Group Nine record to two wins and a draw ahead of Monday's visit of Switzerland.

Without Eric Dier and Dele Alli, who are now with Roy Hodgson's senior team, and in the absence of the injured Jordon Ibe and Tyias Browning, England struggled to play the fluid football manager Southgate encourages on an uneven pitch.

In a promising opening period, Lewis Baker threatened with a header at Bosnia goalkeeper Kenan Piric, and the hosts' Haris Hajradinovic went close when England's Jordan Pickford fumbled his shot.

Bosnia's Damir Sadikovic sent a powerful effort over the crossbar soon after, before two of Southgate's most experienced players combined to go close again as Nathaniel Chalobah headed over from James Ward-Prowse's accurate cross.

The hosts' patience and organisation presented a difficult challenge for Southgate's new-look team, and it soon began to appear that only a moment of true quality would create a clear opening.

Debutant Dominic Solanke, on loan at Vitesse Arnhem from Chelsea, caught the eye in that respect, and almost found space with a classy backheel in the final third.

With half-time approaching, Calum Chambers headed over from another classy cross from Ward-Prowse, but Armin Cerimagic's influence began to grow after the break as England's ambitions waned.

Ward-Prowse curled wide from 20 yards in the 67th minute, and then Stephens, after a foul on Cerimagic, picked up the second of two yellow cards in quick succession to leave England to play with 10 men from the 72nd minute.

Another Cerimagic break ended with a cross into the area eluding his team-mates as England also became tentative amid the growing pressure.

With the last notable chance of the game, and in a repeat of an earlier move, Ward-Prowse again found Chambers in the area, but again the defender's header missed the target.