Report: England WU23s 0-0 Netherlands

England women’s under-23s were unable to find the goal needed to defeat Netherlands during an entertaining goalless draw in Spain. 

Friday’s game was the first of a double header against the Dutch at the Pinatar Arena in Murcia, with the second contest taking place on Monday 11 April, with kick-off at 11am BST.

England WU23s went into the match without Gabby George after the centre back was promoted into the senior team for the first time in three years earlier this week, following injuries to Alex Greenwood and Lotte Wubben-Moy.

But Mo Marley still named a very strong team, with senior international Ebony Salmon among the starting XI and captaining the side.

It was an entertaining first half of football, with both sides enjoying opportunities and the action end-to-end.

The best chance of the opening period came on 39 minutes when Katie Robinson cut in from the left and saw her right-footed shot tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper.

The Young Lionesses were stronger in the second half, enjoying the vast majority of possession, and also had the best chance to score when a corner from Katie Robinson caused a goal-mouth scramble and the Charlton Athletic forward forced Moon Pondes into a save.

But neither side were able to find the goal needed to win a match which was far more entertaining than the scoreline suggested.

With it not being competitive fixture, the two sides then used the contest as a chance to have a penalty shootout.

England: 1 Sandy MacIver (Everton), 2 Maya Le Tissier (Brighton & Hove Albion), 3 Mayumi Pacheco (Aston Villa), 4 Melisa Filis (West Ham United), 5 Grace Fisk (West Ham United), 6 Megan Finnigan (Everton), 7 Jessica Park (Manchester City), 8 Missy Bo Kearns (Liverpool), 9 Ebony Salmon (Racing Louisville) ©, 10 Ruby Grant (University of North Carolina), 11 Katie Robinson (Charlton Athletic, loan from Brighton & Hove Albion)

Substitutes: 15 Lucy Parker (West Ham United) for Le Tissier 46, 14 Shannon O’Brien (Leicester City) for Park 60, 18 Emma Harries (Reading) for Grant 60, 24 Rinsola Babajide (Real Betis) for Salmon 60

Substitutes not used: 12 Taylor Hinds (Liverpool), 13 Emily Ramsey (Birmingham City, loan from Manchester United), 16 Katie Bradley (Manchester City), 17 Ellie Brazil (Brighton & Hove Albion), 20 Angela Addison (Tottenham Hotspur), 21 Asmita Ale (Tottenham Hotspur), 22 Fran Bentley (Bristol City, loan from Manchester United), 23 Jodie Hutton (Aston Villa)

Head coach: Mo Marley