Two goals from Dominic Solanke and strikes from Jonjoe Kenny and Adam Armstrong ensured the Young Lions bounced back in style after falling behind to an early goal from Enes Unal.
As long as Malta fail to defeat Holland on Monday afternoon in the other group match, England’s place in the semi-final will be secured. England face Holland in their final group match on Thursday.
John Peacock made three changes to the side that started the opening game against Malta. Izzy Brown returned to the attack in place of Josh Sims, with Josh Onomah making way for Lewis Cook. In the final change Taylor Moore, who was celebrating his 17th birthday, replaced Dael Fry in the heart of the defence.
England 4-1 Turkey
Monday 12 May 2014
Group A, UEFA European Under-17 Championship 2014
Gozo Stadium, Malta
The first chance of the game came to the Turkish captain Enes Unal inside two minutes. A Ryan Ledson foul allowed the big forward an opportunity from a set-piece 25 yards out, but his powerful effort went wide of Freddie Woodman’s goal.
England then had a great opportunity to take the lead 60 seconds later – Izzy Brown bursting through the middle before keeper Tarik Cetin saved bravely at his feet and Adam Amrstrong’s effort from the rebound was blocked by a defender yards from the line.
Brown was the creator again moments later, winning the ball inside his own half and surging down the left flank before passing to Armstrong, but the Newcastle United striker’s drive was saved low down by Cetin.
England were caught napping at the back by a long ball forwards on fourteen minutes though, and Unal got the better of Joe Gomez as the Young Lion tugged the striker down to leave the referee with no choice but to award a penalty.
England celebrate Dominic Solanke's first goal against Turkey
Unal placed the ball on the spot himself but saw his spot-kick saved low down by Woodman, but within a minute he made amends as he fired his side into the lead from just inside the area after holding off Gomez and Taylor Moore.
Determined to make amends himself after giving away the penalty, Gomez looked inspired as he created the equaliser nine minutes later. The Charlton Athletic defender collected the ball at the back and powered forward through the opposition’s midfield and attack like an express train.
He carried on all the way into the Turkey area, before squaring for Solanke to take a touch and finish past the outstretched goalkeeper on 24 minutes.
Just after the half-hour Ledson just crossed to the back post, where Brown was able to knock the ball down for Armstrong, but once again Cetin thwarted the forward by tipping the ball over the crossbar.
As the half came to a close England’s chances improved further as Turkey were reduced to 10-men, Hasan Ozkan given his marching orders by the referee after picking up a second yellow card after fouls on Ledson and Cook.
England Under-17s line up before the match
Turkey coach Hakan Tecimer replaced winger Dogus Can Incedere with midfielder Tuncay Kilic as he attempted to shore up his midfield – leaving Unal as the lone attacking threat.
As expected, England started on the front foot with Ledson forcing a save from the impressive Cetin in the early stages after the restart as did Patrick Roberts from long range.
Roberts looked to be coming to life, and it was the Fulham youngster who provided the spark the Young Lions needed to take the lead on 49 minutes.
He picked up the ball from Armstrong near the touchline and tricked his way into the box before pulling the ball across the goal for Solanke, and the Chelsea striker teed himself up before squeezing it inside the post to grab his second.
Roberts was the architect again 10 minutes later as England doubled their advantage with an unlikely strike from Kenny.
The Everton youngster, who has only recently returned from a collar bone injury, was given the ball by Roberts and he fired in powerfully from just inside the right-hand side of the area.
Mandela Egbo vies for the ball with Alican Ozfesli
And things just got better for England as Cetin became busier and busier, and his save from Roberts fell straight into the path of Armstrong on 64 minutes, and he made no mistake as he coolly slotted home for the fourth from 10 yards.
With a comfortable lead now attained and the heat starting to take effect, Peacock rang the changes as he looked to save the legs of his side.
Callum Cooke, Mandela Egbo and Demetri Mitchell replaced Solanke, Tafari Moore and Armstrong midway through the half as Turkey looked to be fading fast.
Cooke went close to adding a fifth after being played through but he dragged his shot wide and Mitchell’s pace was causing all sorts of problems for the tiring defence – but thankfully for them the agony was over as it finished 4-1 to England.
England (4-2-3-1): 1 Fred Woodman (Newcastle United); 2 Jonjoe Kenny (Everton), 5 Joe Gomez (Charlton Athletic), 15 Taylor Moore (RC Lens), 3 Tafari Moore (Arsenal); 4 Ryan Ledson (C; Everton), 14 Lewis Cook (Leeds United); 18 Patrick Roberts (Fulham), 11 Izzy Brown (Chelsea), 10 Dominic Solanke (Chelsea); 9 Adam Armstrong (Newcastle United).
Substitutes: 16 Callum Cooke (Middlesbrough) for Solanke 65, 12 Mandela Egbo (Crystal Palace) for Moore 65, 7 Demetri Mitchell (Manchester United) for Armstrong 70.
Substitutes not used: 13 Sam Howes (West Ham United), 6 Dael Fry (Middlesbrough), 8 Joshua Onomah (Tottenham Hotspur), 17 Josh Sims (Southampton)
Goals: Dominic Solanke 21, 49, Kenny 58, Armstrong 64.
Head coach: John Peacock
Turkey (4-4-2): 1 Tarik Cetin, 2 Savas Polat, 3 Bahadir Ciloglu, 5 Ertugrul Ersoy, 6 Hasan Ozkan, 9 Enes Unal (c), 10 Emirhan Aydogan, 11 Dogus Can Incedere, 13 Alican Ozfesli, 14 Furkan Unver, 18 Fatih Aktay
Substitutes: 7 Sabit Yilmaz for Ozfesli 36, 16 Tuncay Kilic for Can Incedere (41), 15 Okan Celik for Polat (56)
Substitutes not used: 12 Ubeyd Adiyaman, 4 Burak Bekaroglu, 7 Sabit Yilmaz, 8 Birhan Vatansever, 15 Okan Celik, 17 Hayrullah Alici
Bookings: Ozkan 24, Aydogan 70
Red card: Ozkan 40
Goal: Enes Unal 14
Head coach: Hakan Tecimer
Referee: Kyros Vassara (Greece)
Attendance: 1,631
