Nathan Redmond played a starring role to help England Under-21s to a 3-1 friendly victory over Portugal last night.

Burnley's Danny Ings enjoyed the home comforts of Turf Moor as he scored twice to help deliver a psychological blow to the Portuguese ahead of next summer's European Under-21 Championship finals. The two nations are due to meet again in the Czech Republic in that tournament's group stage.

Redmond, winning his 19th cap for the U21s, was involved in all three goals and was named as man of the match.

It took Ings just six minutes to open the scoring with a neat near-post finish.

Right-back Carl Jenkinson drilled in a second before half-time and although Bernardo Silva reduced the deficit early in the second period, Ings' second of the night ensured Gareth Southgate's men recorded a comfortable win.

Ings began by gliding past three players before laying the ball out to Jenkinson, whose low cross was cut out inside the six-yard box with three white shirts lurking.

Ings' next notable act was to sweep the ball home for a sixth-minute opener.

The move was started and finished by Burnley players, with Michael Keane's long ball controlled by Redmond on the left flank. He drifted inside and fed Tom Ince on the opposite wing with a ball which the visiting defence failed to cut out, and the Nottingham Forest loanee's cross was touched in by Ings.

Will Hughes' runs behind the backline were causing problems and although he had one goal chalked off for offside, he eventually timed it right to help double England's advantage.

Redmond spotted his dart and the Derby midfielder's cross missed Ings but found the onrushing Jenkinson, who drilled in a low finish one minute before the interval.

That advantage was halved three minutes into the second period, though, as Luke Garbutt's weak header gave Portugal the ball back just outside England's penalty box. From there, Silva was fed by Bruma and the midfielder slotted a cool shot between Butland's legs.

England restored their two-goal lead around the hour mark.

Nathaniel Chalobah found the lively Redmond and his squared cross was bundled home by Ings from just a few yards out.

England U21: Butland, Jenkinson, Keane, Gibson, Garbutt (Robinson 80), Ince, Hughes (Chalobah 56), Forster-Caskey, Carroll, Ings (Bamford 79), Redmond (Pritchard 73). Subs Not Used: Bond, Lascelles, Kane, Woodrow, Wilson, Bettinelli.

Attendance: 10, 711