England Under-16s started the Nike International Tournament with a 3-2 win over host nation USA on Wednesday evening.
Dan Micciche’s side played the first of three games at the Lakewood Ranch in Florida and made a bright to the game before Reading’s Danny Loader put the Young Lions ahead in the 24th minute.
USA 2-3 England
Nike International Tournament
Wednesday 2 December 2015
Lakewood Ranch, Florida, USA
But the States hit back in the second half and drew level five minutes after the restart before a quickfire second from the penalty spot in the 50th minute put them in front.
The Young Lions showed their character though and equalised through Manchester City forward Jadon Sancho in the 64th minute.
And as England pushed for the win in the last 15 minutes, their persistence paid off when Sancho scored a last-gasp winner just seconds before the final whistle to ensure a winning start to the competition.
The next match will take place on Friday 4 December at 3pm (8pm GMT) at Lakewood Ranch, Florida – England v Brazil
All games are streamed live on www.ussoccer.com and on YouTube via this link.
England: 1 Thomas McGill (Brighton & Hove Albion); 2 Marc Guehi (Chelsea) 3 Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham), 4 Tashan Oakley Booth (Tottenham Hotspur), 5 Jonathan Panzo (Chelsea), 6 Colin Rosler (Manchester City) 8 Nya Kirby (Tottenham Hotspur), 9 Daniel Loader (Reading), 10 Angel Gomes (c) (Manchester United), 11 Jadon Sancho (Manchester City), 15 Timothy Eyoma (Tottenham Hotspur)
Substitutions: 14 Oliver Skipp (Tottenham Hotspur) on for Oakley Boothe 71, 20 Ian Carlo Poveda (Brentford) for Kirby 58
Substitutes not used: 7 Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal), 12 Steven Sessegnon, 13. Curtis Anderson (Manchester City), 16 Zech Medley (Chelsea), 17 Phil Foden (Manchester City), 18 George McEachran (Chelsea), 19 Austin Samuels (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Head coach: Dan Micciche
Goals: Danny Loader 24, Jadon Sancho 63, 81
