A rampant England proved too much for DR Congo at St. George’s Park in their final home match before departing to the FIFA Under-17s World Cup.
First half goals from Chrissy Willock, Marcus Edwards and two from Kazaiah Sterling gave the Young Lions a strong advantage at the break. A brace from Ike Ugbo as well as strikes from Stephy Mavididi and Kaylen Hinds sealed the thumping victory.
Head coach Neil Dewsnip was able to give the majority of his squad a run-out in the encounter, which will ensure his charges board the flight to Chile on Thursday in confident spirits.
England 8-0 Congo DR
U17s International
Wednesday 7 October 2015
St. George's Park
It was a bright start from England as Kazaiah Sterling’s hard work won them a corner from the kick off, but they had to wait until the ninth minute for their first opportunity at goal.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Marcus Edwards saw his corner headed out by the defence. Willock, captain for the Young Lions, collected possession and his deep cross was headed wide by the onrushing Rushian Hepburn-Murphy.
The Young Lions were beginning to turn the screw now and they got their reward two minutes later courtesy of some nimble footwork by Willock.
The Arsenal forward received the ball 20 yards out and glided into the area past two defenders before slipping with the outside of his boot from six yards past the goalkeeper.
They doubled their advantage on 25 minutes through Sterling. However, it will not be a goal Congo’s Nathan Nzuzi will want to see again in a hurry.
Williams and Murphy in action at SGP
The centre-half failed to deal with a bouncing ball just inside his own half as he was closed down by the energetic Sterling. Nzuzi could only kick it straight into the chest of the Spurs forward, who powered away from his man to slot home.
This seemed to wake the visitors from their slumber as they began to mount an attack or two of their own. Jason Eyenga Lokilo won a free-kick that he sent way over goalkeeper Will Huffer’s crossbar.
England stretched their advantage when Edwards was tripped by goalkeeper Timothy Fayulu after beating the offside trap on the edge of the area. He stepped up to convert from the spot on 37 minutes.
Congo forward Aaron Bissaka then fired wide of the upright as he was presented with an opportunity, but it was the Young Lions who would have further joy before the half time whistle arrived under the watchful eye of England senior head coach Roy Hodgson and several of his players.
Marcus Edwards goes one on one with Timothy Fayulu
Chelsea left back Jay Dasilva produced an impressive run down the left before squaring for Sterling to finish from 12 yards to chalk up his second.
A number of planned changes were made at the break but the onslaught continued as Dewsnip’s men found themselves ahead by six within nine minutes of the restart.
It was two substitutes who got their name on the scoresheet, Chelsea’s Ike Ugbo firstly converting a penalty on 51 minutes before Stephy Mavididi claimed his first international goal from close range after good work from Will Patching down the right channel.
As the game entered the final ten minutes, Ugbo sealed his brace before Kaylen Hinds added his name to the scoresheet in the closing seconds.
The Young Lions squad depart for the World Cup on Thursday and play their final warm-up match against the host nation Chile on Sunday.
England (4-2-3-1): 13 Will Huffer (Leeds United); 2 James Yates (Everton), 6 Ro-Shaun Williams (Manchester United), 15 Easah Suliman (Aston Villa), 3 Jay DaSilva (Chelsea); 8 Marcus Wood (Manchester City), 14 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool); 20 Rushian Hepburn-Murphy (Aston Villa), 10 Marcus Edwards (Tottenham), 11 Chrissy Willock (Arsenal, Captain); 17 Kazaiah Sterling (Tottenham).
Subs: 21 Alfie Whiteman (Tottenham) for Huffer 45, 5 Danny Collinge (Stuttgart) for Suliman 45, 7 Will Patching (Manchester City) for Wood 45, 9 Kaylen Hinds (Arsenal) for Edwards 45, 12 Tayo Edun (Fulham) for Hepburn-Murphy 45, 16 Stephy Mavididi (Arsenal) for Willock 45, Ike Ugbo (Chelsea) for Sterling 45, 15 Suliman for Williams 72, 8 Wood for Alexander-Arnold 72.
Subs not used: 1 Paul Woolston (Newcastle), 4 Tom Davies (Everton), 18 Herbie Kane (Liverpool),
Goals: Willock 11, Sterling 25, 40, Edwards 37, Ugbo 51, 82, Mavididi 54, Hinds 88.
Head coach: Neil Dewsnip
DR Congo (4-4-1-1): 16 Timothy Fayulu; 2 Nathan Panzu, 4 Nathan Nzuzi, 5 Elan Assiana, 6 Arnaud Mwendy (Captain); 17 William Kissolokele, 8 Lewis Biade Antebe, 15 Andy Bangu Luzayadio, 7 Yann Kitala; 10 Jason Eyenga Lokilo; 9 Aaron Bissaka
Subs: 18 Randy Ndinda for Biade Antebe 45, 14 Maxime Sivis for Mwendy 52, 19 Cyprien N’Goma for Nzuzi 64, 12 Lucsin Makengo for Kitala 78, 20 Maxime Aelen for Bissaka 81, 23 Wahmey Ahissou for Lokilo
Head coach: Otis Ngoma
