There was a mixed bag of results for two of England’s development teams in action overseas on Friday.
Keith Downing’s Under-19s picked up an impressive 3-1 win over Croatia in Zagreb on Friday afternoon, with a first-half goal from Trent Alexander-Arnold after the Liverpool man struck home a half volley with his left foot.
After the break, Stephy Mavididi of Arsenal ended a flowing move by rounding the keeper and finishing from a tight angle before Alexander-Arnold had his second from the penalty spot.
England Under-19s were victorious in Croatia on Friday afternoon
The U19s will now return to England for their second game of the week when they face Bulgaria at Wycombe Wanderers’ Adams Park on Monday evening.
England Under-19s: 1 Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield United); 2 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), 3 Jay DaSilva (Chelsea), 4 Tom Davies (Everton) (c), 5 Darnell Johnson (Leicester City), 6 Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea), 7 Dujon Sterling (Chelsea), 8 Adetayo Edun (Fulham), 9 Stephy Mavididi (Arsenal), 10 Chris Willock (Arsenal), 11 Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham)
Substitutions: 18 Marcus Edwards (Tottenham Hotspur) for Willock 70, 12 Sam Field (West Bromwich Albion) for Edun 88, 16 Andre Green (Aston Villa) for Sterling 88, 17 Isaac Buckley-Ricketts (Manchester City) for Mavididi 88
Substitutes not used: 13. Will Mannion (Hull City), 14 Cameron Humphreys (Manchester City), 15 Easah Suliman (Cheltenham Town, loan from Aston Villa), 22. Aynsley Pears (Middlesbrough)
Head coach: Keith Downing
Meanwhile, Neil Dewsnip’s U18s lost to a second-half goal in the first of their two games with Sweden.
After a tight first half, it took a goal after the break to settle a close contest at Kungsangens IP, just outside of Stockholm.
The nations will meet again on Sunday afternoon.
England U18s: 1 Ellery Balcombe (Brentford); 2 Japhet Tanganga (Tottenham Hotspur), 3 Jaden Brown (Tottenham Hotspur), 4 Marcus McGuane (Arsenal), 5 Morgan Feeney (Everton) (c), 6 Jonathan Dinzeyi (Tottenham Hotspur), 7 Jonathan Leko (West Bromwich Albion), 8 Andre Dozzell (Ipswich Town), 9 George Hirst (Sheffield Wednesday), 10 Mason Mount (Chelsea), 11 Elliot Embleton (Sunderland).
Substitutes: 14 Dennis Adeniran (Fulham) for McGuane 83, 17 Martell Taylor-Crossdale (Chelsea) for Leko 72
Substitutes not used: 12 Tolaji Bola (Arsenal), 13 Ryan Sandford (Millwall), 15 Ash Kigbu (Manchester City), 16 Tariq Uwake (Chelsea),
Head coach: Neil Dewsnip
