England MU19s 2-3 Belgium

England men’s under-19s suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Belgium after an entertaining game in Spain.

Tottenham striker Dane Scarlett scored in both halves for the Young Lions but a winner from PSV forward Johan Bakayoko proved the difference at the Marbella Football Centre.

This was MU19s’ third match in the space of a week, having followed Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat to France with victory over Mexico on Saturday by the same scoreline.

Head coach Ian Foster made ten changes to his starting XI for today’s match against Belgium, with Juventus winger Sam Iling-Junior the only one to retain his place following the win on Saturday.

The Young Lions’ took the lead inside the opening half an hour thanks to an angled right-footed finish from ten yards by Tottenham Hotspur forward Scarlett.

But Belgium responded six minutes into the second period when RSC Charleroi forward Anthony Descotte cut inside from the left and beat Aston Villa goalkeeper Filip Marschall with a powerful strike.

Belgium then took the lead ten minutes later when Arne Engels followed up after a save by Marschall.

But the advantage lasted just five minutes after some good movement from Scarlett. Peterborough United’s Ronnie Edwards delivered a ball from the right into the box and Scarlett connected with a left-footed finish.

It looked as though the teams would have to settle for a draw but in the 79th minute Belgium regained their lead thanks to a right-footed shot by Bakayoko.

Foster was using these matches as preparation for MU19s’ first UEFA U19 EURO qualifying games in November.

England under-19s face group hosts Sweden, Andorra and Switzerland next month as they look to secure their place at the U19 EURO Finals in Slovakia next summer.

England: 1 Filip Marschall (Aston Villa), 2 Jamal Baptiste (West Ham United), 3 Luke Chambers (Liverpool), 4 Alex Scott (Bristol City), 5 Callum Doyle (Sunderland, loan from Manchester City), 6 Ronnie Edwards (Peterborough United), 7 James Balagizi (Liverpool), 8 Harvey Vale (Chelsea), 9 Dane Scarlett (Tottenham Hotspur), 10 Aaron Ramsey (Aston Villa) ©, 11 Sam Iling-Junior (Juventus)

Substitutes: 14 Nile John (Tottenham Hotspur) for Balagizi 77, 17 Alfie Devine (Tottenham Hotspur) for Vale 77

Substitutes not used: 12 CJ Egan-Riley (Manchester City), 13 Tobi Oluwayemi (Celtic), 15 Will Fish (Stockport County, loan from Manchester United), 16 Luke Mbete-Tabu (Manchester City), 18 Shola Shoretire (Manchester United), 19 Lewis Dobbin (Everton), 20 James Norris (Liverpool), 22 Harvey Davies (Liverpool)

Head coach: Ian Foster

Goals: Dane Scarlett 27, 67