England MU17s lineup against Hungary at St George's Park
Nine minutes into the match, England's Baylee Dipepa scored the game's first goal with a deft, low finish. The match got underway quickly.
Soon after, skipper Christopher Rigg increased the lead with a superb finish off the post to cap off a masterfully coordinated team effort.
Greg Lincoln's team scored their third goal early in the second half thanks to a precise top-corner strike from Arsenal midfielder Ethan Nwaneri, demonstrating that England's relentless pressure did not abate.
Midway through the second half, Christian McFarlane scored England their fourth goal with a clinical finish, and replacement Luca Fletcher's stunning finish sealed the victory for Lincoln and his squad.
The MU17s put up a strong display right away, neutralizing any genuine attacking danger posed by their opponents for the duration of the first half. Kian Noble and Stephen Mfuni both put on outstanding defensive performances that gave the Hungarian attackers little chance to challenge Spike Brits in goal.
The host team was rewarded for their early domination with an early lead. Port Vale forward Dipepa completed his first opportunity of the game with a clever finish just outside the six-yard-box, showcasing good footwork inside the box.
Following their opening goal, England did not let up, and Nwaneri and McFarlane's left-sided tangent created a few opportunities.
The second goal of the match for England came in the 26th minute thanks to McFarlane's antics. Rigg was discovered with plenty of space close to the penalty spot as a result of some outstanding team play on the left side. With a left-footed finish to cap off the play, the MU17s captain put his country ahead two goals going into halftime.
The Young Lions carried on from the beginning of the first half into the second, with both fullbacks and wingers posing a consistent threat on the flanks. The tone for the remainder of the game was established by an opportunity Crystal Palace forward Derry had early in the second half.
The left-sided tangent paid off once more as the home team attempted to end the match early in the second half. Ten minutes later, McFarlane scored England's fourth goal of the game, capping an incredible long-range effort by Nwaneri in the 56th minute.
The home team's fifth goal of the day was provided by striker Luca Fletcher, who came off the bench, in yet another spectacular finish.
Hungary was kept quiet as well in the second half thanks to an exceptionally strong defensive effort by the England squad, which gave the visitors only a few opportunities overall and none of which worried the England goal too much.
With a commanding victory in their second match in the UEFA U17 EURO elite phase, England moves on to focus on their next match, which is scheduled for Tuesday, March 26 at 7 p.m.
Spike Brits (Man City), Leo Shahar (Newcastle), Christian McFarlane (New York City), Joshua King (Fulham), Stephen Mfuni (Manchester City), Kian Noble (Manchester City), Jesse Derry (Crystal Palace), Christopher Rigg (C) (Sunderland), Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal), Baylee Dipepa (Port Vale), and Ollie Harrison (Chelsea) are the England players.
Alternatives: 20 Divine Mukasa (Manchester City) for Derry 70, 9 Luca Fletcher (Manchester City) for Dipepa 70, 11 Ryan Mcaidoo (Chelsea) for Nwaneri 80, 16 Samuel Amissah (Fulham) for Shahar 80, and 11 Trevan Sanusi (Newcastle) for King 80
Oliver Whatmuff (Manchester United), Jaden Dixon (Stoke City), Jay Robinson (Southampton), Harry Amass (Manchester United), and Divine Mukasa (Manchester City) were the substitutes that were not used.
Greg Lincoln, head coach
Goals: McFarlane (New York City) 66', Fletcher (Manchester City) 82', Rigg (Sunderland) 26', Nwaneri (Arsenal) 56', Dipepa (Port Vale) 9'
Tags:
Sports