England U20s beat China to set up battle for third with USA

USA and the Stade Mayol in Toulon lie in wait for England U20s after they booked their place in the third-place play-off with a 3-1 win over China.

Aidy Boothroyd’s side bounced back from a first defeat in 12 games against Mexico on Wednesday with a solid, if far from fluent, victory with Rolando Aarons, Lewis Baker and a China own goal giving them the two-goal advantage they needed.

Earlier on Friday Morocco had booked their place in Sunday’s final with a surprise 2-1 over Mexico. Morocco’s opponents will be an impressive France side, the only team to boast a 100 per cent record.

England can reflect on an encounter where they were the better side, but struggled to impose themselves on a bumpy surface against an Under-23s side preparing for next year’s Olympics.

With a place in the final out of reach, Boothroyd shuffled his pack, fielding a blend of first-choice players while giving some game-time to others.

One of the latter, Aarons, often looked dangerous, and teed up the first chance of the game for John Swift. The Newcastle winger had the beating of his right-back and darted wide before crossing low to Swift, whose near-post finish flew just wide.

Wu Zinghan gave England a warning as the half drew to a close, heading over unmarked from a fine right-wing cross.

But Aarons then put England ahead a minute before the break. Callum Robinson rolled off his marker on the right, crossed low and when Chuba Akpom overran the ball, Aarons was on hand to sweep home at the far post.

Captain Baker made it 2-0 with a sweet and calm finish after his own free-kick was only partially cleared, and Swift picked him out at the far post.

Yet China looked dangerous at times and England struggled to suppress their forward runs. Baily Cargill had to clear off the line when Yang Chaoseng burst through unopposed and had beat Christian Walton in the England goal.

Then Fu Bo’s side grabbed a goal back through Yi Guo, bringing down a long ball beautifully with a first touch that confounded England’s centre-halves, and a finish that left Walton with no chance.

But England restored their two-goal advantage with 21 minutes remaining after Zheng Wei deflected home Robinson’s cross from the left.

And they should have had a fourth goal close to full-time when Kortney Hause had a seemingly legitimate header from a corner ruled out.

England (4-3-3): 1 Christian Walton (Brighton & Hove Albion); 12 Isaac Hayden (Arsenal), 6 Baily Cargill (AFC Bournemouth), 5 Jack Stephens (Swindon Town), 3 Moses Odubajo (Brentford); 18 Jamie Hanson (Derby County), 8 Lewis Baker (captain; Chelsea), 17 John Swift (Chelsea); 16 Callum Robinson (Aston Villa), 10 Chuba Akpom (Arsenal), 11 Rolando Aarons (Newcastle United).

Substitutes: 20 Duncan Watmore (Sunderland) for Aarons 55; 15 Kortney Hause (Wolverhampton Wanderers) for Cargill 55; 4 Harrison Reed (Southampton) for Hanson 62.

Substitutes not used: 13 Jordan Pickford (Sunderland), 2 Dominic Iorfa (Wolverhampton Wanderers), 7 Matty Grimes (Swansea City), 9 James Wilson (Manchester United), 14 Demarai Gray (Birmingham City), 19 Kwame Thomas (Derby County).

Goals: Aarons 39, Baker 51, Zheng Wei 59og.

Head coach: Aidy Boothroyd.

China: 12 Yeerjieti Yeerzhati (captain); 5 Pan Ximing, 20 Li Yuanyi, 4 Yang Ting, 9 Yang Chaosheng, 11 Wu Xinghan, 14 Wei Shihao, 15 Wang Peng, 19 Wang Rui, 13 Cao Haijing, 2 Zhang Xiaobin.

Substitutes: 23 Chang Feiya for Shihao 27, 8 Guo Yi for Wu Xinghan 53; 17 Zhao Xuebin for Pan Ximing; 7 Wang Shangyuan for Li Yuanyi 73.

Substitutes not used: 1 Fang Jingqi, 6 Chen Zhechao, 10 Chen Hao, 18 Zang Yifeng, 20  Li Yuanyi

Goal: Guo Yi 54.

Head coach: Fu Bo.