England and Norway will fight it out for a place at the FIFA Women’s U17s World Cup after the Young Lionesses were narrowly beaten by Germany in the European Championship semi-final.
The top three teams in the Euros will make it to Jordan 2016 in September, meaning England must achieve a second victory against Norway in just over a week in the third-place play-off on Monday.
John Griffiths’s side reached the last four courtesy of a flawless group campaign.
England 3-4 Germany
UEFA Women's U17s Championship
Semi-Final
Friday 13 May 2016
Torpedo Stadium, Zhodino, Belarus
Vanessa Ziegler put Germany ahead just before the half-hour mark but Ellie Brazil levelled two minutes later.
Klara Buhl nudged the four-time winners ahead at the start of the second half, only for Alessia Russo to equalise almost immediately.
But Ziegler and Tanja Pawollek added two more goals to put Germany in control.
Russo pulled one back with three minutes remaining but England could not complete the comeback.
England (4-3-3): 1 Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City); 15 Lois Joel (Chelsea), 12 Anna Patten (Arsenal), 5 Grace Smith (Aston Villa), 3 Taylor Hinds (Arsenal); 18 Anna Filbey (Arsenal), 10 Georgia Stanway (capt; Manchester City), 4 Hollie Olding (Brighton & Hove Albion); 7 Alessia Russo (Chelsea), 9 Ellie Brazil (Birmingham City), 11 Niamh Charles (Liverpool).
Substitutes: 17 Hannah Cain (Sheffield FC) for Brazil 67, 8 Laura Hooper (Arsenal) for Filbey 75, 16 Ella Toone (Blackburn Rovers) for Charles 75.
Substitutes not used: 13 Katie Startup (Gillingham), 2 Flo Allen (Bristol City), 6 Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal), 14 Kelsey Pearson (Blackburn Rovers).
Goals: Brazil 31, Russo 42, 77
Head coach: John Griffiths
Referee: Tess Olofsson (Sweden)
