Bradley Fewster scored a hat-trick as England made it successive 4-0 victories under head coach Neil Dewsnip at St. George’s Park.
The Young Lions launched Dewsnip’s tenure with a win over Hungary last November and were ruthless here, dispatching a dangerous-looking Belgium side who faded as the match wore on.
The muscular Middlesbrough front man Fewster cashed in on some careless Belgium defending with two powerfully struck penalties and a towering header, before his eventual replacement Dean Rittenberg put the icing on the cake with five minutes remaining.
England U18s 1-1 Belgium U18s
International U18 Match
2pm, Tuesday 18 February
St. George's Park
But it could have been so different early on, when Jari Vandeputte intercepted a square pass and ran clear on goal. The forward's finish was firm and low, but England 'keeper Ted Smith blocked well with his feet.
The two teams traded possession in an open game but the deadlock was broken after 22 minutes when Nathan Oduwa was brought down by Arno Monsecour with a rash challenge inside the box. Fewster sent his penalty hard to the keeper's right.
Belgium threatened an equaliser when Vandeputte showed great skill to make space on the inside right channel and lofted a clever ball for David Henen to chase. Henen, who plays for Ligue 1 aristocrats Monaco, tried to lob Smith but the angle was tight and his shot sailed wide.
England started the second half with great purpose, with Oduwa combining well with Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell, making his England debut. He drove on before feeding Will Miller, who found space to shoot but stumbled slightly and Thomas Hooyberghs saved with ease.
Fewster celebrates his second goal
Fewster doubled the advantage on 62 minutes, breaking free from his marker to head home after a pinpoint cross from the impressive Chilwell.
Harry Winks then raised hopes of an immediate third with a classy, drifting drive. But the midfielder, who along with Miller and Oduwa was one of three Tottenham players in the starting 11, watched his effort skim the bar.
Then Fewster completed his hat-trick with a minimum of fuss, by powering home his second spot-kick after Oduwa was fouled.
Fewster departed to a round of applause when he was replaced late on by Dean Rittenberg, who soon got in on the act thanks to another cross from Chilwell.
Oduwa drove forward on the left flank before cutting in and picking out Chilwell on the overlap. Blackburn forward Rittenberg then did well to reach the cross and prod past Hooyberghs.
England U18s (4-3-3): 1 Ted Smith (Southend United; 13 Callum Burton (Shrewsbury Town) 80); 2 Kyle Knoyle (West Ham United; 12 Ben O'Hanlon (Wolverhampton Wanderers) 65), 5 Reece Burke (West Ham United), 6 Brendan Galloway (MK Dons), 3 Ben Chilwell (Leicester City); 4 Bryn Morris (c; Middlesbrough), 8 Harry Winks (Tottenham Hotspur), 10 William Miller (Tottenham Hotspur; (14 Alex Gilliead (Newcastle United) 85); 7 Demarai Gray (Birmingham City), 9 Bradley Fewster (Middlesbrough; 15 Dean Rittenberg (Blackburn Rovers) 72), 11 Nathan Oduwa (Tottenham Hotspur).
Goals: Bradley Fewster 22pen, 62, 72, Rittenberg 84
Belgium U18s (4-1-4-1): 1 Thomas Hooyberghs (PSV Eindhoven); 2 Pieter Marien (Club Brugge), 3 Joey Dujardin (Zulte Waregam), 4 Arno Monsecour (Lokeren), 5 William Celen (K Lierse); 6 Gilles Dewaele (Cercle Brugge; 14 Nick Vandewalle (K Lierse) 60); 7 Jinty Caenepeel (KAA Gent), 8 Preben De Man (Lokeren; 15 Jordy Vleugels (Willem II) 60), 10 Jari Vandeputte (C; KAA Gent), 11 David Henen (Monaco; 16 Iebe Swers (Sint-Truidense) HT); 9 Mamadou Obbi Oulare (Club Brugge).
Substitute not used: 12 Gregory De Boel (Zulte Waregem)
Referee: Simon Hooper.
