After falling behind early on, they showed great character to fight back with three first-half goals before adding another in the second. And despite a late scare it is a result John Peacock’s side fully deserved.
The Young Lions were in determined spirits pre-match as they looked to end their week with a first win, and they came fastest out the blocks, attacking the visitors from the off.
England 4 v 3 Italy
The FA U17 International Tournament
3pm, Sunday 31 August 2014
Pirelli Stadium, Burton Albion
Arsenal’s Chris Willock made his presence felt, tearing down the left to send in a low cross that Tommaso Cucchietti just managed to collect before Jahmal Hector-Ingram could add a finish.
Hinds then turned provider for Hector-Ingram, powering forward from half-way before laying the ball to his right for the West Ham forward to pull the trigger – but the ‘keeper saved well.
Peacock must have been delighted with the start his side made, but they were brought back down to earth with a bang eleven minutes in.
Matteo Gasperoni cut out a pass deep inside the England half and played it to Luca Matarese, and he produced a great spin past Danny Collinge and rifled in a low strike past Paul Woolston to give the Italians the lead.
The celebrations did not last long though as the Young Lions roared back at their opponents and they were level inside two minutes. Everton winger Nathan Holland picked up the ball out the right, played a one-two with Willock, then ran goalwards and tricked past a defender before firing home from 14 yards.
Peacock’s youngsters kept coming, and they turned the game on its head five minutes later thanks to some individual brilliance from Hinds. Receiving a pass from James Yates down the right channel, the forward curled an exquisite effort around the outstretched ‘keeper and into the net from 25 yards.
His Gunners club-mate Willock then showed no mercy at the floundering Italy defence, racing down the left to float in a cross squarely on to the head of Hector-Ingram, who made no mistake in heading England into a 3-1 lead on 23 minutes.
Luca Matarese scores past Paul Woolston for Italy
The Italians looked stunned as the hosts refused to relent, producing some fantastic one and two-touch football - the result of some hard work on the training pitch throughout the week. But no further blows were struck before the half-time break.
England made four changes at half-time with Will Patching, Jay DaSilva, Callum Gribben and Layton Ndukwu entering the fray – but it was Azzurrini who began on top and they were rewarded for their bright start eight minutes in.
Simone Mazzocchi, on at the break for Italy, was fouled by Patching inside the area. The referee pointed to the spot and captain Andres Llamas Acuna stepped forward to convert.
Sensing a comeback, the pressure continued on the Young Lions defence, and Gianluca Scamacca forced Woolston into a save from a fierce volley shortly after.
England boss Peacock responded by introducing Sunderland’s Daniel Wright into the midfield in place of Tom Davies, and the move paid dividends as his youngsters took control of the game again.
Soon after, Ndukwu almost grabbed his second goal in as many games as he looked to have forced the ball home after challenging the ‘keeper for a long ball, but it was scrambled away at the death as it rolled goalwards.
The momentum had swung back well and truly in the Young Lions favour, and they deservedly grabbed a fourth goal on 63 minutes. Manchester United man Gribbin surged forward before being tumbled to the ground, but the ball rolled kindly to Hinds to tuck home his second, and his side’s fourth, on 63 minutes.
Ndukwu came close again moments later with an overhead kick, and Gribbin tried his luck from long range but was denied by shot-stopper Cucchietti.
As the match neared its end, Simone Mazzocchi produced a great finish to set up a nervy finish, but the Young Lions prevailed to triumph in their final game of the week.
England (4-2-3-1): 13 Paul Woolston (Newcastle United), 2 James Yates (Everton), 15 Darnell Johnson (Leicester City), 5 Danny Collinge (VFB Stuttgart) (C), 12 Hayden Coulson (Middlesbrough); 4 Tom Davies (Everton), 10 Jacob Maddox (Chelsea); 17 Nathan Holland (Everton), 9 Kaylen Hinds (Arsenal), 11 Chris Willock (Arsenal); 18 Jahmal Hector-Ingram (West Ham United)
Subs: 8 Will Patching (Manchester City) for Maddox (40), 3 Jay DaSilva (Chelsea) for Yates (40), 7 Callum Gribben (Manchester United) for Holland (40), 16 Layton Ndukwu (Leicester City) for Hector-Ingram (40), 14 Daniel Wright (Sunderland) for Davies (57), 1 Aston Oxborough (Norwich City) for Woolston (72)
Subs not used: 6 Cameron Humphreys (Manchester City)
Goal: Holland (13), Hinds (18) (63), Hector-Ingram (23)
Bookings: Johnson (54)
Head coach: John Peacock
Italy (4-4-2): 1 Tommaso Cucchietti, 4 Marco Iudica, 5 Andrea Malbertim 6 Andres Llamas Acuna (C), 7 Manuel Nicoletti; 8 Melkamu Taufer, 9 Filippo Melegoni, 11 Matteo Gasperoni, 15 Fabio Castellano; 16 Luca Matarese, 17 Gianluca Scamacca
Subs: 13 Alessandro Celestri for Melegoni (40), 18 Simone Mazzocchi for Castellano (40), 14 Reno Mauro Piscopo for Matarese (68), 2 Leonardo Rivoira for Nicoletti (68), 3 Francesco Flauto for Taufer(79)
Subs not used: 12 Luca Mandelli, 10 Daniel Bezziccheri
Goal: Matarese (11), Llamas Acuna (48), Mazzocchi (78)
Booking: Gasperoni (80)
Head coach: Bruno Tedino
