Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge feels England Under-21s can claim "ultimate success" if they can chalk up another European Championship qualifying win in Greece.

Stuart Pearce's young lions - who reached the final of the last tournament held during the summer, losing to Germany 4-0 - have made a positive start on the road towards Denmark in 2011 with a 2-1 victory over Macedonia in Prilep.

Now they have headed to Tripoli for the clash with the Group Nine leaders, who have a 100% record from both of their qualifying matches so far.

Sturridge, 20, who won his second U21 cap at the weekend, maintains belief in the group is high.
"We are playing away in Greece, hopefully we can be a strong bunch of lads and be able to put a performance on," Sturridge told www.thefa.com.

"It will be the ultimate success for us, coming here with the heat, where it has been a minimum of 28 degrees. We are not used to that.

"We do not want to make any excuses, but if we come out of this with six points, all the team will be delighted, so hopefully we can achieve that."

Sturridge, who joined Chelsea from Manchester City in the summer, and has already made his Barclays Premier League debut, added: "The Greeks will be a strong unit and it will be a bigger challenge from Macedonia.

"But the Macedonian game taught us as a team that we have to show character, we can not make little mistakes and we have to be on the ball at all times.

"It is about being part of a team and I think the 10 days we are spending together will hopefully put us in good stead for winning our future games and help get ourselves to the [European] Championship."

Pearce also feels his squad will grow from their time away as a unit.

"I am still getting to know my players, and they are still getting to know me as well," he said.
"We are into the qualifiers now, which is an important phase.

"We have a good crop of players, but the more we are together, the more I will find out about my players."

With the likes of Chelsea's Michael Mancienne, on loan at Wolves, Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole, the under-21 captain, Tottenham's Danny Rose, Arsenal 17-year-old Jack Wilshere, striker Freddie Sears, on target at the weekend, Manchester United forward Danny Welbeck and West Ham defender James Tomkins all looking to make an impression, Pearce certainly has plenty of talent at his disposal.

However, the former Nottingham Forest boss, but will be taking nothing for granted against the Greeks.

"We know we are going to be in a difficult match as we have a very tight group," he said.

"Whoever qualifies out of this group is going to be pushed to the extreme."