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England through to Euro U17 quarter-finals despite defeat to Switzerland

Thursday 10 May 2018
Arvin Appiah (left) and his England teammates are through to the last eight

England qualified for the quarter-finals of the UEFA U17 European Championships despite going down 1-0 to Switzerland in Rotherham.

The Young Lions enjoyed plenty of possession at the New York Stadium but ultimately paid the price for not taking advantage of several promising opportunities.

Felix Mambimbi’s deflected strike seconds before the half-time whistle was the difference between the sides in South Yorkshire, but England’s two victories against Israel and Italy earlier in the tournament was enough to see them through and put the Swiss out of the competition.

UEFA European U17 Championship
  • England U17s 0-1 Switzerland U17s
  • New York Stadium, Rotherham
  • Thursday 10 May 2018
  • Group A
Italy’s win against Israel meant they top Group A, with Steve Cooper’s young charges cementing second place at the narrow expense of Thursday's opponents.

England looked largely comfortable in the first half in Rotherham, with Xavier Amaechi a constant menace down the left-hand side.

Arvin Appiah was foiled by Lucio Soldini between the Switzerland sticks early on, before the stopper easily parried Amaechi’s free-kick.

Folarin Balogun had a golden chance to give the tournament hosts the lead on 27 minutes – Amaechi drew three defenders on the right before teeing up Tino Anjorin, who squared for the Arsenal youngster, but his effort from six yards was somehow kept out by the boot of Soldini.

Despite their dominance, the danger signs were there for Cooper’s side, with Switzerland growing into the game and asking questions of the England backline with their speed and movement.

However, a lapse of concentration right on half-time saw the ball fall to Mambimbi in the box after the Young Lions failed to clear their lines from a corner. The winger’s shot took a huge deflection off Bukayo Saka and left Luca Ashby-Hammond helpless.

Cooper’s side nearly equalised 40 seconds into the second period, Appiah firing narrowly wide from eight yards from Amaechi’s cutback. 

Anjorin had a header deflected wide with Soldini in no-man’s land after misjudging Amaechi’s wicked curling centre as England probed for an equaliser.

Swizerland soaked up the pressure, but England kept coming and skipper James Garner sent a 20-yarder fizzing past the upright after another probing Amaechi run.

The Swiss had chances to snatch a dramatic winner which would have sent them through to the last eight - Ruwen Werthmuller’s left-footed strike crept past the post with Ashby-Hammond rooted to the spot three minutes from the end.

And the England keeper had to be on his toes to keep out Julian Vonmoos’s powerfully struck shot as the clock ticked into added time, but England held on.

England: 1 Luca Ashby-Hammond (Fulham); 2 Dylan Crowe (Ipswich Town); 5 Ethan Laird (Manchester United); 6 Ajibola Alese (West Ham United); 7 Arvin Appiah (Nottingham Forest); 10 Tino Anjorin (Chelsea); 4 James Garner (Capt) (Manchester United); 8 Tommy Doyle (Manchester City); 11 Xavier Amaechi (Arsenal); 17 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal); 20 Folarin Balogun (Arsenal)

Substitutes: 14 Elijah Dixon-Bonner (Liverpool) for Doyle 13, 15 Bobby Duncan (Unattached) for Balogun 52, 19 Matty Daly (Huddersfield Town) for Anjorin 57

Substitutes not used: 13 Marcus Dewhurst (Sheffield United); Vontae Daley-Campbell (Arsenal); 3 Nat Ogbeta (Manchester City); 18; Trae Coyle (Arsenal); 9 Tyreece John-Jules (Arsenal)

Goals: 

Cautions: Appiah 53, Laird 63

Head coach: Steve Cooper

By FA Staff