Report: England MU19s 0-0 Montenegro

England men’s under-19s dominated from start to finish against Montenegro but had to settle for a 0-0 draw in their opening match of U19 EURO qualification.

The Young Lions’ goal was rarely troubled at the DG Arena Lješkopolje in Podgorica whilst they created a host of golden chances in either half.

But a combination of Montenegro goalkeeper Benjamin Krijestarac and some misfortune meant Simon Rusk’s side were able to find the goal their play arguably deserved.

The Young Lions will now go in search of victory against Wales on Saturday and Austria on Tuesday, with the top two progressing to the elite round of qualification for the UEFA Under-17 Championships, which will take place in Northern Ireland next summer.

England dominated the first half and had a number of openings before Dominic Ballard would have given them the lead with a low shot, following Archie Gray’s impressive run and through ball, had it not been for the leg of the Montenegro goalkeeper.

Minutes later Krijestarac had to make another good save to deny Romain Esse’s bouncing shot, with the goalkeeper then denying the Millwall youngster’s curling effort shortly before half-time.

Gray’s set-piece deliveries were causing Montenegro problems and Jack Hinshelwood dived in to head agonisingly wide minutes prior to the interval.

England started the second half brightly and within the first six minutes, Lino Sousa and Adrian Blake both had shots from the left-hand side of the penalty box saved.

Ballard was next to have an effort from close range saved after a good run and pass from Jobe Bellingham.

Montenegro’s goal was living a charmed life, which was highlighted when Esse got back to his feet after being bundled over in the penalty area and hit a shot which was saved by the backheel of goalkeeper Krijestarac and trickled wide of the post.

It was a similar story when two substitutes combined, as Omari Kellyman laid the ball off to Nathan Lowe and his low shot from 15 yards out went wide by the narrowest of margins.

England continued to search for a goal but despite several nearly moments, they had to settle for a point.

England: 1 Luca Gunter (Tottenham Hotspur), 4 Jack Hinshelwood (Brighton & Hove Albion), 5 Ashley Phillips (Tottenham Hotspur) ©, 6 Max Alleyne (Manchester City), 8 Archie Gray (Leeds United), 9 Dominic Ballard (Reading, loan from Southampton), 10 Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland), 12 Sai Sachdev (Sheffield United), 17 Adrian Blake (Utrecht), 18 Lino Sousa (Arsenal), 20 Romain Esse (Millwall)

Substitutes: 14 Nathan Lowe (Stoke City) for Ballard 65, 11 Omari Kellyman (Aston Villa) for Sachdev 65, 3 Calum Scanlon (Liverpool) for Esse 83

Substitutes not used: 13 Ben Cisse (West Bromwich Albion), 2 Ezra Carrington (Manchester City), 15 Alfie Dorrington (Tottenham Hotspur), 16 Noel Buck (New England Revolution), 19 Kane Taylor (Manchester City)

Head coach: Simon Rusk