A Molly Bartrip own goal and a strike from Sweden midfielder Stina Blackstenius consigned England to defeat in their opening match of the UEFA Women’s U19 Championship in Norway.
Head Coach Brent Hills took a young squad to the finals – all but one of his players can represent the U19s again next season – but against Sweden he started six players who helped England qualify from the elite qualifying round in April.
England began well with Carla Humphrey having a shot blocked following Jenna Dear’s free-kick and Chelsea left-back Rosella Ayane calling Swedish keeper Zecira Musovic into action inside the first quarter of an hour.
England 0-2 Sweden
UEFA Women's U19 Championship finals
Group B
Tuesday 15 April 2014
Tønsberg, Norway
Sweden’s Lotta Ökvist redressed the balance with two efforts around the 30-minute mark, but neither were good enough to beat Birmingham City stopper Sophie Baggaley.
But the Young Lions came again and Bartrip went close to breaking the deadlock after getting on the end of Jodie Brett’s free-kick.
Lina Hurtig had an attempt charged down when in a good position just moments into the second half, while Chelsea midfielder Dear almost caught out Musovic direct from a corner as both sides sought a breakthrough.
The opening goal came on the hour – and it was a painful one for Bartrip. The Reading defender attempted to clear the danger but inadvertently headed the ball into her own goal from just two yards out.
England heads did not drop, though, and Hills’s side went on the attack with captain Claudia Walker, substitute Sarah Mayling, Vyan Sampson and Ayane all firing efforts on goal in search of an equaliser.
Unfortunately, Blackstenius had other ideas as she doubled Sweden’s lead with just 15 minutes remaining and effectively ended England’s hopes of getting anything from their opening Euro encounter.
England’s second Group B match is against debutants Republic of Ireland, who were surprise 1-0 winners over Spain in their opening game, on Friday.
England (4-3-3): 1 Sophie Baggaley (Birmingham City); 11 Ashleigh Mills (Doncaster Rovers Belles), 3 Molly Bartrip (Reading), 15 Vyan Sampson (Arsenal), 2 Rosella Ayane (Chelsea); 17 Millie Turner (Everton), 6 Jenna Dear (Chelsea), 18 Claudia Walker (C; Liverpool); 8 Carla Humphrey (Arsenal), 7 Coral Haines (Birmingham City), 4 Jodie Brett (Chelsea).
Substitutes: 10 Sarah Mayling (Aston Villa) for Haines (50), 5 Maddy Cusack (Aston Villa) for Brett (65), 14 Jemma Purfield (Doncaster Rovers Belles) for Humphrey (83)
Substitutes not used: 13 Kirstie Levell (Everton), 12 Elisha N'Dow (Aston Villa), 9 Rebecca Lloyd (Birmingham City), 16 Fran Steele (Arsenal).
Referee: Sofia Karagiorgi (CYP)
