The Young Lions were in a ravenous mood from the off, racing into a three-goal lead inside 18 minutes through Taylor Moore, Adam Armstrong and Tammy Abraham. Armstrong and Abraham would each grab a second and a Dominic Solanke strike rounded off an impressive display by Neil Dewsnip’s men.
The side was captained by Armstrong, the first time the Newcastle United man had led out his country. He was joined in the attack by Middlesbrough forward Harry Chapman and Chelsea’s Abraham, both making their first starts.
England 6-1 Switzerland
International U18 Match
Banks's Stadium, Walsall
Saturday 28 March 2015
Tottenham midfielder Luke Amos was also making his first international appearance since representing the Young Lions at Under-16 level back at the Victory Shield in 2012.
Perhaps inspired by yesterday’s visit to an RAF base, Dewsnip’s side flew out of the traps, attacking from the off and taking the lead early.
With just four minutes on the clock, Amos launched a corner towards the back post and Moore rose to power a header past the helpless goalkeeper.
Just over 10 minutes later the lead was doubled in fine fashion. Abraham played the ball low from the right into the feet of Armstrong, and from around 12 yards out, he flicked it up into the air and met it with a fierce drive as it dropped down that almost broke the net as it hit the top corner.
Another two minutes and it was 3-0, Josh Onomah hitting a low ball across goal from the left and Abraham nipped in to add his name to the scoresheet for the first time at international level.
Switzerland were stunned, and the Young Lions they took another chunk out of their opposition shortly before the break. Having won the free-kick, Armstrong dusted himself off and stepped-up to curl a delightful strike into the top corner.
No changes were made at the break, but five minutes into the half and Chelsea forward Dominic Solanke and Sheffield United midfielder Louis Reed entered the fray in place of Armstrong and Onomah.
But the duo’s first task was to line up for a kick-off as Switzerland pulled a goal back. The English defence failed to clear the danger from a corner as the ball played ping-pong inside the area, and Adonis Ajeti was on hand to reduce the deficit.
England were managing the game well, controlling all the possession and moving the opposition around the field as the heavens opened – and the tide of the encounter continued to flow the Young Lions’ way as they added to their tally in the final few moments.
Sub Solanke raced clear to round the keeper and slot home with five minutes remaining before his club-mate Abraham rounded off the scoring in the final seconds, converting from close-range from a corner.
England (4-3-1-2): 1 Sam Howes (West Ham United); 2 Kyle Walker-Peters (Tottenham Hotspur), 5 Taylor Moore (Lens), 6 Jake Clarke-Salter (Chelsea), 3 Max Lowe (Derby County); 4 Luke Amos (Tottenham Hotspur), 8 Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal), 11 Josh Onomah (Tottenham Hotspur); 10 Harry Chapman (Middlesbrough); 9 Adam Armstrong (Newcastle United; captain), 7 Tammy Abraham (Chelsea)
Subs: 16 Dominic Solanke (Chelsea) for Armstrong 50; 14 Louis Reed (Sheffield United) for Onomah 50; 15 Sheyi Ojo (Wigan Athletic, on-loan from Liverpool) for Chapman 67; 12 Josh Sims (Southampton) for Maitland-Niles 85.
Subs not used: 13 Magnus Norman (Fulham).
Bookings: Chapman 45;
Goals: Moore 4, Armstrong 16, 38, Abraham 18, 88, Solanke 85.
Head coach: Neil Dewsnip
Switzerland (3-5-2): 1 Mathieu Descloux; 5 Adonis Ajeti, 4 Mirlind Kryeziu, 14 Ivan Lurati; 2 Samir Bajrami, 6 Remo Arnold (captain), 17 Roberto Alves Oliveira, 15 Stefan Bakalovic; 18 Nikola Gjorgjev, 16 Charly Pickel, 19 Kwando Duah.
Subs: 8 Noah Sylvestre for Bakalovic 45; 9 Boris Balic for Alves Oliveira 45; 3 Linus Obexer for Duah 45; 11 Bruno Ferreira Morgado for Gjorgjev 82;
Subs not used: 12 Simon Enzler, 7 Neftali Manzambi, 10 Harun Alpsoy
Goal: Ajeti 51;
Head coach: Claude Ryf.
