With qualification to the semi-finals assured for both sides, the two nations both lacked their usual tempo in the heat of Hibernians Stadium, but second-half goals from Calvin Verdonk and Dani van der Moot ensured the Dutch were the victors.
With Sunday’s semi-final against Portugal in mind, head coach John Peacock was keen to give his squad every opportunity to stake a claim to start in three days’ time. Seven changes were made to the 11 that started in the 4-1 win over Turkey on Monday.
England 0-2 Holland
Thursday 15 May 2014
Group A,
UEFA European Under-17 Championship,
Hibernians Stadium, Paola, Malta
Sam Howes replaced Freddie Woodman between the sticks and Mandela Egbo and Dael Fry came into the defence. Josh Onomah and Callum Cooke lined up in the middle just in front of captain Ryan Ledson and Josh Sims and Demetri Mitchell were positioned out wide for England.
Holland came out of the traps the quickest, and they had a chance inside the first minute as Abdelhak Nouri powered through the defence and played it through to Segun Owobowale – but the big striker fired high and wide with a looping left-footed effort.
With over half the team changed from last time out, perhaps it was not surprising that England started a little rusty as the Dutch continued to press throughout the opening 15 minutes as Owobowale and Nouri tried to pin the backline inside their own half. But having weathered the early storm, Peacock’s youngsters gradually grew into it as they took control of possession.
With the trickery and pace of Nouri and Bilal Ould-Chikh on the flanks, Maarten Stekelenburg’s side were always dangerous on the break, and it took a Fry block on the edge of the six yard box to prevent Jari Schuurman from hitting the target on 24 minutes.
England defender Mandela Egbo tracks Segun Owobowale
Demetri Mitchell's trickery fed Josh Onomah, who knocked the ball on along the edge of the box for Josh Sims to pull the trigger, but he sent the ball curling just wide of the upright.
Moments later, a foul on Mandela Egbo by Mauro Savastano gave England a free-kick on the edge of the area. But with the big men Fry and Joe Gomez up from the back, Mitchell opted to try his luck as he fired high and wide.
Neither side made a change at the break as the second half started with England on the back foot once again, and they seemed to be holding firm until a rocket from Calvin Verdonk broke the deadlock.
The centre-half collected possession 35 yards from goal, and with space around him, he took a touch before unleashing an unstoppable drive that flew into Howes’ top-right corner to give Holland the lead on 45 minutes.
Onomah tried to get draw his side level almost immediately, the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder trying his luck from long range but his volley failed to trouble Yanick van Osch in the goal.
Newcastle United striker Adam Amrstrong, with nine goals in qualifying and the tournament combined, was introduced to the action along with Patrick Roberts, the scorer of two goals against Malta, in an attempt by John Peacock to add the cutting edge that had been missing.
But their task was made harder shortly after their introductions.
Holland won a corner on 68 minutes and played it short as Mitchell attempted to close down the crosser Ould-Chikh – but the ball was whipped into the near post and Van der Moot, who had entered the fray seconds earlier, headed home with his first touch.
Holland were content to sit back and see the game out now with top spot in the group confirmed – and despite a long-ranger from Taylor Moore, they saw out the game with ease.
England will now face Portugal at the National Stadium in the European Championship semi-final on Sunday evening - kick-off tbc.
England (4-1-2-2-1): 13 Sam Howes (West Ham United); 12 Mandela Egbo (Crystal Palace), 5 Joe Gomez (Charlton Athletic), 6 Dael Fry (Middlesbrough), 2 Jonjoe Kenny (Everton); 4 Ryan Ledson (C; Everton); 8 Joshua Onomah (Tottenham Hotspur) 16 Callum Cooke (Middlesbrough); 17 Josh Sims (Southampton), 7 Demetri Mitchell (Manchester United); 11 Izzy Brown (Chelsea).
Substitutes: 9 Adam Armstrong (Newcastle United) for Sims 47, Patrick Roberts (Fulham) for Cooke, Taylor Moore (RC Lens) for Mitchell (74).
Substitutes not used: 1 Freddie Woodman (Newcastle United), 3 Tafari Moore (Arsenal), 10 Dominic Solanke (Chelsea), 14 Lewis Cook (Leeds United).
Bookings: Kenny (54).
Head coach: John Peacock.
Holland (4-2-3-1): 1 Yanick van Osch; 2 Hidde ter Avest, 3 Keziah Veendorp, 4 Calvin Verdonk (C), 15 Mauro Savastano; 6 Donny van de Beek, 8 Jari Schuurman; 18 Bilal Ould-Chikh, 10 Kenneth Paal, 14 Abdelhak Nouri; 13 Segun Owobowale.
Substitutes: 17 Marlon Slabbekoorn for Paal (67), 9 Dani van der Moot for Owobowale (67), 12 Rick van der Meer for ter Avest (74).
Substitutes not used: 16 Justin Bijlow, 5 Wellington Verloo, 7 Steven Bergwijn, 19 Guido Janssen.
Goals: Verdonk 45, Van der Moot 68.
Head coach: Maarten Stekelenburg.
Referee: Adrian D. Casha (Malta).
Attendance: 1,420
