James Ward-Prowse's penalty lifts England Under-21s past Norway

James Ward-Prowse's penalty proved decisive as England Under-21s opened their Euro 2017 qualifying campaign with a 1-0 win in Norway.

The Southampton midfielder converted from the spot on the stroke of half-time in Drammen to give Gareth Southgate's side a perfect start in Group 9.

England coped with the artificial surface at the Marienlyst Stadium but rode their luck in the first half as Ghayas Zahid hit the bar for the hosts.

Manchester United striker James Wilson was left on the bench after his goal-scoring debut in Friday's 1-0 win over the United States Under-23s in Preston, but Liverpool duo Joe Gomez and Jordon Ibe and Tottenham's Dele Alli all kept their places.

And England were under pressure early as Morten Thorsby fired wide and then tested Jordan Pickford before Zahid struck the bar from 20 yards.

But England took the lead a minute before the break when Jonas Gronner brought down Nathan Redmond in the area and 20-year-old Ward-Prowse beat Sondre Rossbach from the spot.

Alli was replaced by Nathaniel Chalobah at the break and England almost doubled their lead two minutes after the restart when Matt Targett's shot was blocked by Thomas Grogaard.

Norway tried to hit back but Pickford saved Veton Berisha's 57th-minute effort.

Norwich's Redmond lashed over soon after for England.

Sunderland's Pickford was again called into action to ensure victory in the final 10 minutes, claiming Berisha's shot and then gathering Alexander Sorloth's weak header with four minutes left.

England's next Group 9 qualifier is at home to Kazakhstan on October 13. Switzerland and Bosnia & Herzegovina are the other two teams in the pool of five nations.

Norway:  1 Sondre Rossback; 4 Jonas Gronner (captain), 5 Thomas Grogaard, 9 Veton Berisha, 10 Ghayas Zahid, 14 Iver Fossum, 15 Kristoffer Haraldseid, 16 Ulrik Jenssen, 18 Morten Thorsby, 20 Ole Selnes, 22 Martin Odegaard.

Substitutes: Birger Meling for Grogaard (59), Alexander Sorloth for Thorsby (80), Bersant Celina for Zahid (87).

England: 1 Jordan Pickford; 2 Joe Gomez, 5 Calum Chambers, 6 Eric Dier, 3 Matt Targett; 8 James Ward-Prowse (captain), 4 Ruben Loftus-Cheek, 10 Dele Alli; 7 Jordon Ibe, 9 Cauley Woodrow, 11 Nathan Redmond.

Substitutes: Nathaniel Chalobah for Alli (46), Jake Forster-Caskey for Loftus-Cheek (70).