England U21 boss Stuart Pearce regards Welsh football at underage level as the best it's ever been.

Pearce's charges scraped home 3-2 in the first-leg of their European Championship playoff on Friday night and he said: "Welsh football at under-21 level, with the players they have, is the best I have ever known it.

"Even if Wales' more experienced players had been out there, they would not have done any better."