MU20s rampant in Czech Republic

England men’s under-20s had a night to remember in the Czech Republic as they beat the hosts 5-0.

Arsenal’s Miguel Azeez opened the scoring in impressive fashion after just a quarter of an hour at FK Teplice’s home ground Na Stínadlech.

There was little to separate the sides in the first half but it was a totally different story in the second period, as Fulham striker Jay Stansfield set the tone with a goal shortly after the restart.

Chelsea’s Tino Anjorin, Manchester City’s Morgan Rogers and Fleetwood Town’s James Hill also got on the scoresheet during a superb second-half showing from Andy Edwards’ side.

The first real action of note came in the ninth minute when good skill from Jesurun Rak-Sakyi on the right corner of the penalty area saw the Crystal Palace winger brought down in the penalty box by the Czech Republic captain Tomas Vlcek, who had dived in recklessly.

Anjorin, who is currently on loan at Lokomotiv Moscow, stepped up confidently but sent his penalty wide of the goalkeeper’s right post.

However, the Young Lions took the lead on the quarter-of-an-hour mark when Stansfield won the ball back on the edge of the opposition penalty area and Arsenal’s Azeez sent a wonderful left-footed striker into the top corner from 20 yards out.

Goalmouth action was in short supply in the first half but England doubled their advantage four minutes into the second period.

AFC Bournemouth loanee Rogers got a shot away after a neat step-over but whilst Adam Stejskal was able to parry it away, Stansfield’s rebound was deflected past the goalkeeper for 2-0.

It then became three with 20 minutes remaining following more good work from Stansfield and Rogers.

The Fulham striker slipped the ball inside the full back to release Rogers on the left side of the penalty box and his pass across the face of the goal was converted by a sliding Anjorin.

Rogers was then once again key when England added a fourth soon after, as the Manchester City winger’s right-footed shot from ten yards out was helped into the net by the back-tracking Martin Suchomel.

And a memorable night was rounded off by Fleetwood Town defender Hill, who came off the bench to head in an accurate cross from Aston Villa right back Kaine Kesler Hayden.

England’s goalkeepers were rarely tested during the match but replacement Matthew Cox ensured the visitors retained their clean sheet in injury-time when he parried Marek Icha’s header from a corner and Karel Pojezny was unable to bundle the ball in.

England: 1 James Trafford (Accrington Stanley, loan from Manchester City), 2 Kaine Kesler Hayden (Aston Villa), 3 Henry Lawrence (AFC Wimbledon, loan from Chelsea), 4  Leighton Clarkson (Blackburn Rovers, loan from Liverpool), 5 Nathan Wood (Hibernian, loan from Middlesbrough), 6 Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), 7 Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (Crystal Palace), 8 Miguel Azeez (Portsmouth, loan from Arsenal), 9 Jay Stansfield (Fulham), 10 Faustino Anjorin (Lokomotiv Moscow, loan from Chelsea), 11 Morgan Rogers (AFC Bournemouth, loan from Manchester City)

Substitutes: 15 James Hill (Fleetwood Town) for Wood 46, 17 Jaden Philogene-Bidace (Aston Villa) for Rak-Sakyi 56, 18 Lewis Bate (Leeds United) for Anjorin 71, 19 Sam Greenwood (Leeds United) for Stansfield 71, 13 Matthew Cox (Brentford) for Trafford 80

Substitutes not used: 12 Cody Drameh (Leeds United), 14 Jensen Weir (Cambridge United, loan from Brighton & Hove Albion), 20 Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland), 22 Bradley Young (Leicester City)

Head coach: Andy Edwards

Goals: Miguel Azeez 15, Jay Stansfield 49, Tino Anjorin 70, Morgan Rogers 76, James Hill 83