England win U19 EURO title after 3-1 win against Israel

England were crowned European U19 champions on Friday evening, after extra-time goals from Carney Chukwuemeka and Aaron Ramsey sealed a 3-1 victory over Israel in Slovakia.

The Young Lions had to show real resolve to earn their title too, as they were pushed all the way by a talented Israeli side in Trnava before the Aston Villa pair made their mark.

Ian Foster’s side, who had played Israel in their final group game last week, were well versed in what to expect from their opponents but deservedly found themselves a goal down after a difficult first half.

But an equaliser from Callum Doyle got England up and running after the break and while they couldn’t force a winner in normal time, they more than edged the contest in extra time.

The result sees England win the U19 EURO title for a second time, following on from 2017’s victory in Georgia, when the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Mason Mount, Ryan Sessegnon and Reece James were in the squad which beat Portugal.

They had to really ride their luck before then though, as the warning signs were there from the early stages of the game before Israel enjoyed their best spell midway through the first half.

Firstly, Abed Kassus was inches away from getting a touch on a cross from Ariel Lugassy in what was the first real opening of the game after 23 minutes.

And on the half-hour mark, Kassus was presented with a good chance in the box after a neat move opened up some space for the Israeli dangerman. But Alex Scott was well-placed to block the shot and prevent Matthew Cox from making a save.

But five minutes before half time, Israel deservedly took the lead. The goal came after Scott was caught in possession on the edge of the Israel box, leading to a rapid break up the pitch.

Again it was Lugassy who led the charge and when he picked out Oscar Gloukh in the area, he cleverly side-stepped two defenders before smashing a shot into the roof of the net.

England almost found a way back in just before the break, when Doyle’s deep cross from the left was dropped by ‘keeper Tomer Zarfati at the feet of Dane Scarlett, but he quickly made amends to close down Scarlett’s shot on the turn.

Foster’s charges emerged for the second half in much better form and Zarfati had to make a smart save to keep Jamie Bynoe-Gittens’ angled shot out in the 51st minute at the expense of what was England’s first corner of the game.

And how they made it count, as Scott’s flag-kick picked out Doyle at the far post where the Manchester City defender took a touch before slotting home from close range.

They could’ve been ahead on the hour mark too, as Chukwuemeka began to find his range and bore down on the Israeli box before picking out Scarlett. But the Spurs striker just couldn’t adjust himself in time and the ball was smothered.

Ramsey, on as a substitute, then forced another save from Zarfati with a low left-footer, after Jarell Quansah had advanced forward and picked him out.

But Israel still posed a threat and it took more good defending with three players throwing themselves to block Lugassy’s shot in the area.

Chukwuemeka then went even closer, as he took a pass from Harvey Vale on the run before curling a shot at goal which had Zarfati beaten but bounced back off the inside of the post.

England ended the game the stronger of the two, but just couldn’t find the breakthrough meaning extra time, during which the teams couldn’t be separated in the first period.

But the second half was just over two minutes old when England took the lead for the first time, as Vale’s chipped cross into the box deceived both keeper and defence to leave Chukwuemeka with the task of chesting the ball home from close range.

Israel mustered one last rally, and England had to rely on a goal-line clearance from Doyle to keep out Gloukh’s mis-hit shot.

But the game was sealed in the 116th minute, as a counter attack saw Doyle’s clearance pick out substitute and Manchester City teammate Liam Delap. His fresh legs saw him burst past a defender into the box before his low shot was parried by Zarfati.

The ball rolled to the feet of Ramsey, who made no mistake by firing into an open goal to prompt wild celebrations as the Young Lions taste success again.

England: 1 Matthew Cox (Brentford), 3 Callum Doyle (Manchester City), 5 Ronnie Edwards (Peterborough United), 6 Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), 7 Alfie Devine (Tottenham Hotspur), 8 Carney Chukwuemeka (Aston Villa), 9 Dane Scarlett (Tottenham Hotpsur), 11 Harvey Vale (Chelsea) (c), 12 Daniel Oyegoke (Brentford), 14 Alex Scott (Bristol City), 18 Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (Borussia Dortmund)

Substitutes: 10 Aaron Ramsey (Aston Villa) for Bynoe-Gittens 58, 2 Brooke Norton-Cuffy (Arsenal) for Oyegoke 73, 4 Tim Iroegbunam (Aston Villa) for Scott 73, 15 Luke Chambers (Liverpool) for Devine 85, 19 Liam Delap (Manchester City) for Scarlett 106

Substitutes not used: 13 Teddy Sharman-Lowe (GK), 16 Bashir Humphreys (Chelsea), 17 Sam Iling-Junior (Juventus), 20 Daniel Jebbison (Sheffield United)

Head coach: Ian Foster

Goals: Callum Doyle 52, Carney Chukwuemeka 108, Aaron Ramsey 116

Israel: 18 Tomer Zarfati, 3 Or Alon Israelov, 4 Stav Lemkin, 6 El Yam Kancepolsky, 8 Ilai Madmoun (c ), 10 Oscar Gloukh, 11 Ariel Lugassy, 12 Roy Revivo, 13 Ilat Feingold, 15 Tay Abed Kassus, 20 Ahmad Ibrahim

Substitutes: Idan Gorno for Revivo 67, Roy Nawi for Kancepolsky, Dor Turgeman for Lugassy 86, Nehorai Yifrah for Kassus 86, Ely Tomer for Feingold 90

Goals: Oscar Gloukh 40