Wales Under-18s 0-2 England Under-18s: Clinical second half performance sees England win
Liam Delap and Carney Chukwuemeka’s second half goals were enough for England to beat Wales 2-0 at Leckwith Stadium.
The hosts could have been 2-0 up at the break as Ryan Viggars missed a penalty and Keelan Williams hit the post.
Kevin Betsy made ten changes at half time for England and they were the better team in the second half.
But it was a solid performance from Rob Edwards’s side with Taylor Jones starring at the back and Chris Popov proving to be a handful up front.
It was an even start to the game as both sides looked towards their wingers to attack.
Wales were awarded a penalty in the opening quarter of the match after Popov was forced to the ground.
Ryan Viggars stepped forward to take the spot-kick, but Hubert Graczyk was equal to it and prevented it from finding the bottom right corner.
England were dangerous down the left throughout the first half as Louie Barry tried to cut in and send a curling shot into the far corner
Wales went very close to taking the lead on the stroke of halftime.
Oli Ewing shifted the ball out to his captain Keelan Williams who stuck the ball toward the top corner but was denied by the woodwork
They went close again in the final moments of the first half, Taylor Jones went close with a diving header from a brilliant corner.
England made wholesale changes for the second half as Kevin Betsy gave an opportunity to 10 players, CJ Egan-Riley was the only player to remain on the field.
Their substitute goalkeeper was called into action ten minutes into the second half as Ewing slipped in Viggars who was denied by Tobi Oluwayemi.
The Celtic keeper was forced into another save moments later, Joel Cotterill used some great close control to create space for a shot that was tipped over the bar.
But despite their chances to take the lead, England were awarded a penalty when Liam Delap beat Williams to the ball and was taken out.
The Manchester City forward stepped up and made no mistake, powering the spot-kick into the net, sending Williams the wrong way
Following their goal, England were all over Wales, going close through Kwadwo Baah who fired wide.
They doubled their lead 12 minutes from time through another substitute Carney Chukwuemeka,
England moved the ball quickly to set up the Aston Villa midfielder who slotted the ball past Williams from close range.
Wales went close to pulling one back in the final 10 minutes when Harry Jones glanced a header just wide of the post from a corner.
Wales: Max Williams (Ben Hughes, 84), Keelan Williams (C) (Luke Mariette, 75, Jay Williams (Cian Williams, 84), Harry Jones, Taylor Jones, Tom Davies (Zac Bell, 75) , Charlie Savage (Harry Leeson, 75), Oli Ewing (Lewys Twamley, 84), Ryan Viggars (Connor Sailsbury, 58), Joel (Cameron Congreve, 58) Cotterill, Chris Popov (Rio Dyer, 84)
Yellow Cards: Keelan Williams 56’
England First-Half XI: Hubert Graczyk, CJ Egan-Riley, Jarell Quansah, Karamoko Dembele, Alex Robertson, Shola Shoretire, Louie Barry, Aaron Ramsey (C), Ethan Ingram, Daniel Jebbison, Callum Doyle
England Second-Half XI: Tobi Olumayemi, Daniel Oyegoke, CJ Egan-Riley, James Norris, William Fish, Alex Scott, James Balagzi Samuel Edozie, Carney Chukwuemeka Kwadwo Baah, Liam Delap (C),
Goals: Liam Delap 65‘, Carney Chukwuemeka 78‘
You can read how the match played out from the live updates below:
1 thought on “Wales Under-18s 0-2 England Under-18s: Clinical second half performance sees England win”