England secured their place in next summer’s European Under-21 Championship finals in Sweden last night and immediately dispatched Joe Hart, the Manchester City goalkeeper, and David Wheater, the Middlesbrough defender, to join Fabio Capello’s squad in Belarus. Gabriel Agbonlahor was also selected but the Aston Villa striker has a tight hamstring and had to withdraw from the World Cup qualifying match in Minsk this evening, when England fans will hope for a less nervy time than Wales Under-21 gave them at Villa Park.

Stuart Pearce, the under-21 head coach, also flew out to Minsk after his team were given “as stern a test as we’ve had” by a spirited and talented Wales team for whom Aaron Ramsey was at his mesmerising best.

Here is proof positive that Capello has faith in the juniors — but also that the younger group’s progress is considered of paramount importance. Pearce, an integral part of Capello’s coaching staff, said: “Credit to Fabio. I asked him if he wanted me to pull the players out and he said this game was too important and I was to play them.

“I’m pleased to have a foot in both camps. I get on a plane tonight and it’s very exciting, but to have two of our boys going as well is a great lift for this group and shows there’s a production line to the seniors. If I can win a trophy and keep supplying Fabio with players, that’ll be tremendous.”

England have lost only once in 27 matches, and that was in a penalty shoot-out to the hosts in the semifinals of last year’s tournament in the Netherlands, but the development of players has been balanced by an increased desire to win silverware at under-21 level. So Pearce has retained all but Theo Walcott of his strongest squad and, while Hart and Wheater will be available for selection in Minsk, they are likely to be involved in the under-21 finals next June.

This week’s dual selection contains an element of risk, especially as Middlesbrough play Chelsea at lunchtime on Saturday, but Pearce said: “Wheats had a tough game tonight and we’ll try to take care of him. It’s paramount to look after the players, but the players in that dressing-room want to play for the under-21s and they want to play for the seniors.”

Agbonlahor, on his home ground, was withdrawn at half-time but should be available for Villa’s game with Portsmouth on Saturday. Tom Huddlestone, later sent off for a dangerous tackle on Darcy Blake that means he will be suspended for the first game of the finals, opened the scoring with a 25-yard free kick, only for Ramsey to equalise with a fine left-footed drive into the top corner.

Ramsey then sent in Simon Church, the scorer of Wales’s goals at Ninian Park on Friday, to chip the ball over Hart before Steven Taylor, the England captain, claimed the equaliser as he headed Jamie O’Hara’s free kick in off Sam Vokes, who shot against a post five minutes from time as the drama continued to the last.

England (4-3-3): J Hart — D Wheater, S Taylor, M Mancienne, J O’Hara — M Noble, L Cattermole (sub: F Muamba, 31min), T Huddlestone — J Milner, G Agbonlahor (sub: F Campbell, 46), A Johnson. Substitutes not used: T Heaton, A Taylor, M Cranie, M Derbyshire, A Lallana. Sent off: Huddlestone.

Wales (4-3-1-2): O Fon Williams — N Eardley, D Blake, J Jacobson, R Wiggins — A King (sub: M Bradley, 60), J Collison, S MacDonald (sub: N Adams, 84) — A Ramsey — S Vokes, S Church. Substitutes not used: R Taylor, L James, G Basey, J Brown, J Allen. Booked: Wiggins, Blake.

Referee: B Blom (Netherlands).