Report: France 1-1 England MU18s
Posted on September 8, 2024, this blog will only take 3 minutes to read.
"Strong Showing As Young Lions Draw Host Nation In Limoges"
The England under-18 men's team finished their time in France with a 1-1 tie against the French team on Sunday night. After that, they won a penalty shootout to secure a second-place finish at the Lafarge Tournament.
The Young Lions entered their last match in Limoges having tied with the eventual champions Portugal and Switzerland. They knew that a win by a margin of two goals would secure them the victory in the four-nation tournament.
Although Liam Bramley's team did not secure the victory they needed to win the title, they put on a strong performance. It was unfortunate that they did not win the game in regulation time, as Trey Nyoni's goal in the second half was quickly countered by Enzo Molebe.
A thrilling match from start to finish, there were plenty of opportunities for both teams to score with both Douglass Lukjanciks playing for England and Ayoube Akabou in the opposing goal making impressive saves.
The Young Lions almost scored first in the first half, but Carter Pinnington's header hit the bar. Akabou managed to clear the ball off the line before it went in.
In the second half, England began stronger than their opponents. They controlled the ball well, built up their attacks patiently, and exerted pressure on the other team. Eventually, the Young Lions managed to score and take the lead.
A great display of skill from Chris Rigg as he held onto the ball and made a quick turn before passing to Souleymane Sidibe. Sidibe then made a precise pass into the box, which Nyoni quickly jumped on and skillfully finished into the top corner of the net.
France quickly responded just two minutes later when Enzo Molebe seized an opportunity with a stray ball in the box and slid a precise shot past Lukjanciks to equalize the score.
Even though both teams were aggressive towards each other, they ended up in a tie and the game had to be decided by a penalty shootout. Lukjanciks managed to stop France's initial two penalties, while Jack Fletcher and Sidibe scored on either side of Mateus Mane's unsuccessful attempt.
However, France failed to score with their remaining shots, resulting in England winning the shootout 2-0. England will be pleased with their performances this month as they head back home.
England's starting line-up included players from various clubs such as Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, and more. The captain for this game was Joshua King from Fulham. The team also had substitutes who came in during the match to provide fresh legs and different tactics. Overall, it was a diverse and talented team representing England on the field.
Unused Substitutes: 1 Oliver Whatmuff from Manchester City, 7 Mateus Mane from Wolverhampton Wanderers, 13 Thorsten Spike Brits from Manchester City, 14 Saheed Olagunju from Chelsea, and 20 Shumaira Mhueka from Chelsea were not used during the game.
The main coach: Liam Bramley
Objectives: Trey Nyoni 67
Discover more about the England Under-18s team.
