England MU18s win four nations tournament

England men’s under-18s’ goalless draw with Croatia means they have won their four nations tournament in Zagreb.

The Young Lions started their campaign with a 3-2 victory over Austria on Tuesday before following it up with a 2-0 win against neighbours Wales on Friday.

It meant that all Ryan Garry’s side had to do on Monday night was avoid defeat versus the hosts Croatia and they would win the tournament.

It was decided pre-tournament that any games which ended in a draw would go to penalties to provide the players with shootout practice.

And England goalkeeper Joe Whitworth saved two spot-kicks to help the Young Lions win 4-3 in the shootout, with Jude Soonsup-Bell, Sonny Perkins, Kaden Rodney and Oliver Arblaster scoring for England.

England starting XI: 1 Joe Whitworth (Crystal Palace), 2 Reuell Walters (Arsenal), 3 Thierry Small (Southampton), 4 Sammy Braybrooke (Leicester City) ©, 5 Ben Nelson (Leicester City), 6 Finley Potter (Sheffield United), 7 Sonny Perkins (West Ham United), 8 George Hall (Birmingham City), 9 Divin Mubama (West Ham United), 10 Jack Wells-Morrison (Crystal Palace), 11 Kian Pennant (Leicester City)

Substitutes: 15 Brodi Hughes (Chelsea) for Nelson 56’, 19 Jude Soonsup-Bell (Chelsea) for Mubama 61’, 12 Kaden Rodney (Crystal Palace) for Small 61’, 20 Oliver Arblaster (Sheffield United) for Wells-Morrison 70’, 17 Michael Olakigbe (Fulham) for Pennant 70’, 14 Charlie Webster (Chelsea) for Hall 84’, 18 Bradley Ibrahim (Arsenal) for Braybrooke 84’

Substitutes not used: 13 James Beadle (Brighton & Hove Albion), 22 Tommy Simkin (Stoke City), 16 Harvey Araujo (Fulham), 21 Lewis Hall (Chelsea), 23 Zak Sturge (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Head coach: Ryan Garry