England fought back from behind to get their UEFA U17 European Championship campaign off to a winning start in Croatia.
Rhian Brewster’s first-half brace and Phil Foden’s late strike ensured no opening day slip up for Steve Cooper’s side after Marc Guehi’s own goal had given Norway an early lead.
It proved to be an entertaining encounter at SRC Velika Gorika with the Young Lions largely in control throughout.
However, it did not start that way as Johan Hove’s inswinging corner from the left sparked panic in England’s six-yard box causing captain Guehi to inadvertently divert the ball into his own net in the seventh minute.
Cooper’s side hit back within the space of three minutes as Jadon Sancho’s dazzling run down the left carved open the Norwegian defence to tee up Brewster for a tap-in from close range.
Manchester City’s Sancho continued to torment Norway down the left flank, but it was Callum Hudson-Odoi who took that route to supply the assist for the second.
From a blistering counter-attack, Hudson-Odoi cut the ball back to pick out Brewster 10 yards out to blast beyond Mads Christiansen in the 35th minute.
Having rattled the bar with a thumping effort earlier in the second half, Phil Foden put the game beyond Norway, making their tournament debut at U17 level, in the 78th minute.
The Manchester City ace pounced on a loose ball to jink his way into the box and drive a rising effort beyond Norway keeper Christiansen.
England return to action on Sunday 7 May, kick-off 1pm (BST), against Ukraine, who suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Netherlands in their Group D opener.
England: 1 Josef Bursik (Wimbledon); 2 Timothy Eyoma (Tottenham Hotspur), 5 Marc Guehi (capt; Chelsea), 6 Jonathan Panzo (Chelsea), 3 Lewis Gibson (Newcastle United); 7 Philip Foden (Manchester City), 8 Tashan Oakley-Boothe (Tottenham Hotspur), 4 George McEachran (Chelsea); 11 Jadon Sancho (Manchester City), 9 Rhian Brewster (Liverpool), 10 Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea)
Substitutes: 16 Daniel Loader (Reading) for Foden 79, 12 Reo Griffiths (Tottenham Hotspur) for Brewster 80+3
Substitutes not used: 13 Curtis Anderson (Manchester City), 14 Jake Vokins (Southampton), 15 Alexander Denny (Everton), 17 Aidan Barlow (Manchester United), 18 Emile Smith-Rowe (Arsenal)
Goals: Brewster 10, 35, Foden 78
Coach: Steve Cooper
