This might have been the first time that England have failed to win in this European Under-21 Championship campaign but, making light of an extensive array of missing talent, it also reflected a depth of character that augurs well in the squad’s development. With two games left, England remain six points clear at the top of qualifying group three.

It is not often that a foreign crowd sings the name of a visiting player, but Theo Walcott was again so bewitching with his thrilling runs that the locals of Águeda briefly struck up a chant of “Theo, Theo” last night. England recovered from going behind to the concession of an early penalty to take a share of the spoils thanks to Adam Johnson’s equaliser.

“I couldn’t be more proud of them, Stuart Pearce, the head coach, said. “They gave everything they had and I’m just disappointed we couldn’t win the game. I think we need to beat the Republic [Ireland] in February and stay unbeaten, win the next two games and put a marker down. The campaign until now couldn’t have gone any better.”

For the 11 players who did make it on to the pitch at kick-off, there were another 11 missing for England. Injury had yesterday added Gabriel Agbonlahor, Matt Derbyshire and Ben Alnwick to the list of walking wounded unavailable to Pearce, so it was inevitable that their aura of invincibility was under threat.

Faced with Portugal’s familiar 4-2-3-1 formation, Pearce retained the shape with which he finished Friday’s 2-0 victory over Bulgaria, only with Walcott as his lone front man in the absence of Agbonlahor after the Aston Villa forward aggravated the knee injury he incurred at stadium:mk during training yesterday morning.

Craig Gardner, Agbonlahor’s club-mate, may wish to forget his start to the match. In his adopted position of right back, he was late with his tackle on Vieirinha as the winger cut into the penalty area and Istvan Vad, the Hungarian referee, swiftly blew for the infringement. Vieirinha got to his feet to score the first goal that England have conceded in 453 minutes of this qualification programme.

England recovered well, however, and enjoyed the better of the first-half chances, David Wheater heading over from corners by Tom Huddlestone three times before Walcott burst through on goal. Sent away by Johnson, the Arsenal teenager cut in from the left but Ricardo Batista, the Fulham reserve goalkeeper, saved his shot well.

England impressed in the way that they shut down technically adept opponents but were further hampered when Steven Taylor, their captain and defensive pivot, was forced to go off at half-time. The Newcastle United defender had passed a fitness test only on the morning of the game, but his back injury was exacerbated in the early stages when he was barged over by Saleiro.

James Milner took the armband and England soon regained parity. Joe Mattock’s long throw was missed by Wheater and Lee Cattermole, the Middlesbrough pair, but not by Johnson, their club-mate on loan at Watford, who drove home left-footed in his first start for the under-21s.

This was the signal for England to take control. Twice Huddlestone shot wide while Johnson slid in, with the latter missing Milner’s low driven cross by a toe-end before Walcott went on a run as mesmerising as it was swift. Sprinting away, he beat two players before cutting inside and shooting low and hard. Batista was grateful to shovel the ball behind for a corner.

João Moutinho, the Sporting Lisbon playmaker, who must have impressed the long list of scouts that included representatives from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, drove a volley goalwards late on, Gardner clearing from near his goalline, but England had done enough.

Portugal Under-21 (4-2-3-1): Ricardo Batista – Vasco Fernandes, Nuno Andre Coelho, Gonçalo Brandão, Antunes – Paulo Machado, Pele (sub: Celestino, 66min) – João Moreira (sub: Targino, 46), João Moutinho, Vieirinha (sub: Bruno Pereirinha, 77) – Saleiro. Substitutes not used: Rui Patrico, Stelvio Cruz, Bruno Pinheiro, Hélder Barbosa.

England Under-21 (4-5-1): J Hart (Manchester City) – C Gardner (Aston Villa), S Taylor (Newcastle United; sub: M Mancienne, Queens Park Rangers, 46), D Wheater (Middlesbrough), J Mattock (Leicester City) – J Milner (Newcastle United), L Cattermole (Middlesbrough), T Huddlestone (Tottenham Hotspur), F Muamba (Birmingham City), A Johnson (Watford) – T Walcott (Arsenal).

Substitutes not used: T Heaton (Manchester United), M Connolly (Colchester United), G Leadbitter (Sunderland), A Surman (Southampton), R Stearman (Leicester City), I Miller (West Bromwich Albion). Booked: Taylor, Muamba, Walcott. Referee: I Vad (Hungary).

Last night’s other result: Ireland 1 Bulgaria 0.

Explore Football

• Premier League

• Football League

• Scotland

• European Football

• International Football

• TheGame

• Live Match Tracker

• The Fink Tank

• Fantasy Football