England Under-17s drew 1-1 with Portugal on Sunday, and in doing got the point they needed to claim top spot in the Euro 2016 qualifying group stage.
Following comprehensive wins against Armenia and San Marino in the opening two Group 9 games, the Young Lions knew their passage to the Elite Round was already secure.
However, in order to claim top spot in the group by virtue of goal difference, they went into Sunday’s game against Portugal knowing first place would be theirs if they avoided defeat against their hosts.
Portugal 1-1 England
UEFA Under-17 Championship
Qualifying round, Group 9
Sunday 4 October
Municipal Sergio Conceicao, Coimbra
And Steve Cooper’s side got off to the perfect start when captain Trevoh Chalobah drove at the Portugal defence and fired low and hard past Diogo Costa to put the Young Lions 1-0 ahead.
It was a lead they held until 16 minutes from time, when Joao Filipe netted past Chelsea’s Jared Thompson.
Portugal had also recorded comprehensive victories over the group’s other pair, and with the top two progressing, were also assured of their spot in the Elite Round.
However, decisively, the hosts went into Sunday’s game at the Municipal Sergio Conceicao with a goal difference of 12, compared to England’s 13.
Therefore, the draw proved enough for the Young Lions to hold on to top spot – and in doing so, gave themselves a better chance of a favourable draw in the Elite Round in the spring of 2016.
England (4-2-3-1): 1 Jared Thompson (Chelsea); 17 Jordan Williams (Huddersfield), 5 Trevoh Chalobah (C; Chelsea), 6 Edward Francis (Manchester City), 3 Jaden Brown (Tottenham); 18 Dennis Adeniran (Fulham), 4 Andre Dozzell (Ipswich Town); 7 Jonathan Leko (West Brom), 8 Adam Lewis (Liverpool), 10 Reiss Nelson (Arsenal); 9 Niall Ennis (Wolves).
Substitutes: 2 Vashon Neufville (West Ham) for Brown 37. 11 Mackenzie Heaney (Newcastle United) for Leko 58. 15 Elliot Embleton (Sunderland) for Lewis 71.
Substitutes not used: 14 Samuel Shashoua (Tottenham),13 Nicholas Hayes (Ipswich Town), 16 Tyrese Campbell (Manchester City).
Goals: Chalobah 16
Bookings: Thompson, Chalobah, Francis, Lewis, Adeniran, Nelson.
Coach: Steve Cooper
Portugal (4-5-1): 1 Diogo Costa; 2 Diogo Dalot, 13 Diogo Leite, 3 Diogo Queiros (C), 5 Ruben Vinagre; 7 Joao Filipe, 8 Miguel Luis, 6 Luis Florentino, 15 Quina, 10 Nuno Santos; 9 Jose Gomes
Substitutes: 17 Leandro Tipote for Nuno Santos 66. 11 Rafael Leao for Joao Filipe 79. 16 Joao Lameira for Miguel Luis 79.
Substitutes not used: 12 Joao Virginia, 4 Luis Silva, 14 Joao Oliveira, 18 Paulo Estrela.
Goals: Joao Filipe 64
Bookings: Diogo Queiros, Quina.
Coach: Helio Sousa
Referee: Oleksandr Derdo (UKR)
