England MU17s suffered a night of frustration in front of goal as they lost the opening game of a three-team tournament by 3-1 to Denmark at Alfreton Town’s Impact Arena.
Kevin Betsy's side had much the better of possession and the chances, particularly in the opening 45 minutes, but found themselves trailing to a deflected long-range shot from Maurits Kjaergaard whose effort looped over Young Lions goalkeeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke.
The Young Lions created two good openings in the first three minutes, but Lewis Dobbin and Luke Badley-Morgan were both denied by Andreas Gulstorff Pedersen.
The Danish goalkeeper then made a brilliant reaction stop from Lewis Richardson, who also nodded wide from close range.
At the other end, Boyce-Clarke also made a couple of defiant saves but England were unfortunate to be behind.
Their chances of getting back into the game suffered a double setback early in the second half, as Wahidullah Faghir and Andreas Pedersen Bredahl demonstrated great composure in front of goal to give Denmark a three-goal cushion.
The impressive Karamoko Dembele was inches away from getting a goal back and Richardson volleyed wide as England’s frustration continued.
But the England finally got themselves on the scoresheet midway through the second half when James Norris saw yet another effort saved but Dobbin was on hand to force the ball into the net from close range.
Dobbin shot wide soon afterwards, but the game began to fade after a number of substitutions and Denmark ran out comfortable winners after demonstrating their killer touch in front of goal.
England: 1 Coniah Boyce-Clarke (Reading), 2 Nohan Kenneh (Leeds United), 5 CJ Egan-Riley (Manchester City), 12 Luke Badley-Morgan (Chelsea), 3 James Norris (Liverpool), 4 Charlie Patino (Arsenal), 8 Xavier Simons (Chelsea), 10 Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), 7 Karamoko Dembele (Celtic), 9 Lewis Dobbin (Everton), 19 Lewis Richardson (Burnley)
Substitutes: 23 Alex Robertson (Manchester City) for Simons 46, 11 Louie Barry (Barcelona) for Richardson 68, 14 Amadou Diallo (West Ham) for Patino 68, 15 Daniel Oyegoke (Arsenal) for Kenneh 78, 20 Rico Richards (West Bromwich Albion) for Dembele 78
Substitutes not used: 6 Levi Colwill (Chelsea), 13 Tobi Oluwayemi (Celtic), 16 Zane Monlouis (Arsenal), 17 William Fish (Manchester United), 18 Aaron Ramsey (Aston Villa), 21 Tyler Onyango (Everton)
Head coach: Kevin Betsy
Goals: Lewis Dobbin 67
Attendance: 453
