England ended their U19 EURO qualifying stage with a narrow defeat against group hosts Turkey in Manavgat on Tuesday afternoon.
After winning their opening two games against Moldova and Iceland, Keith Downing’s side knew they a win would be enough to secure top spot in the group en-route to next March’s elite qualifying round.
The Young Lions still progress by virtue of finishing in second spot, but will have hoped for a better outcome of this game after largely dominating the contest in terms of chances created and possession.
But after failing to break the deadlock, they were left stunned when Turkish defender Onur Taha Takir headed home in the 72nd minute to change the outlook of the group.
England responded well and continued to assert pressure for the last 15 minutes of the game, but despite a frantic end to the game and attempts from the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Morgan Gibbs-White and Conor Gallagher, they couldn’t find a way back into the game.
All eyes will now turn to the draw for the elite qualifying round which takes place at UEFA headquarters in Nyon on Thursday 6 December.
England U19s: 1 Josef Bursik (Hednesford Town, loan from Stoke City), 2 Tariq Lamptey (Chelsea), 4 George McEachran (Chelsea), 6 Jonathan Panzo (Monaco), 9 Danny Loader (Reading), 12 Stephen Walker (Middlesbrough), 14 Nya Kirby (Crystal Palace), 16 Rekeem Harper (West Bromwich Albion), 17 Ian Poveda-Ocampo (Manchester City), 19 Jake Vokins (Southampton), 20 Timothy Eyoma (Tottenham Hotspur)
Substitutes: 10 Morgan Gibbs-White (Wolverhampton Wanderers) for Loader 46, 18 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) for Kirby 63, 3 Steven Sessegnon (Fulham) for Vokins 71, 8 Conor Gallagher (Chelsea) for Harper 71, 11 Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea) for Poveda-Ocampo 81
Substitutes not used: 13 Curtis Anderson (Manchester City), 5 Marc Guehi (Chelsea), 7 Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal), 15 Max Aarons (Norwich City)
Head coach: Keith Downing
Cautions: Gibbs-White 90
