England U19s made it two wins out of two games in Euro qualification in dramatic fashion with a 2-1 victory over Iceland.
With the Young Lions left frustrated for large periods of the game by a well-organised and rigid opponent, it took a splendid free-kick from Mason Mount to break the deadlock with 20 minutes remaining.
That was the least they’d had deserved after enjoying the better of the game prior to that, but when England were caught out in possession in their own half in the 82nd minute, Iceland equalised thanks to Daniel Hafsteinsson’s scruffy shot, with goalkeeper Ryan Schofield left exposed.
But Paul Simpson’s side showed their character to bounce straight back from the kick-off, with substitute Jadon Sancho setting up Eddie Nketiah for a close range finish less than a minute after they’d conceded.
With two wins from their first two games, England have secured their place in next March’s Elite Round and now head into their last match of the group with Bulgaria to play for top spot, with the hosts having also won both of their games.
England U19s: 1 Ryan Schofield (Huddersfield Town); 12 Dujon Sterling (Chelsea), 5 Japhet Tanganga (Tottenham Hotspur), 6 Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea) (C), 3 Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham); 19 Marcus Tavernier (Middlesbrough), 4 Flynn Downes (Ipswich Town), 14 Mason Mount (Vitesse Arnhem, loan from Chelsea); 7 Reiss Nelson (Arsenal), 17 Ben Brereton (Nottingham Forest), 9 Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal)
Substitutes: 11 Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) for Brereton 66, 10 Elliot Embleton (Sunderland) for Nelson 88
Substitutes not used: 13 Ellery Balcombe (Brentford), 2 Reece James (Chelsea), 8 Joe Willock (Arsenal), 15 Dennis Adeniran (Everton), 16 George Hirst (Sheffield Wednesday), 18 Josh Tymon (Hull City), 20 Morgan Feeney (Everton)
Head coach: Paul Simpson
Goals: Mason Mount 70, Eddie Nketiah 83
Cautions: Trevoh Chalobah 31
