Report: England MU17s 1-1 Belgium

England men’s under-17s shared the spoils with Belgium in their first group game at the EUROs, after Alejandro Rodriguez’s early strike was cancelled out by a wonderful free-kick in Albania.

The Young Lions came haring out of the blocks as Lyon striker Rodriguez found the net early on, before Noah Fernandez’s free-kick ensured the two nations ended the game on equal footing in the first test of the group phase.

England were quick to step onto their opponents, as Ryan McAidoo flicked the ball on the edge of the penalty area to set up Max Dowman but the Arsenal youngster was denied on the line after rounding Lucca Brughmans inside the opening minutes.

Nathan De Cat then popped up at the other end, looking to beat Jack Porter moments later, but the midfielder’s effort from 20 yards was hooked wide.

The Young Lions continued to tussle it out in midfield and in the 12th minute, Seth Ridgeon picked out the path of Rodriguez who opened his account with a neat finish into the bottom left corner.

Having been pinned back, Dowman was next to come forward with his effort being palmed out to Rio Nguhoma, who belted the follow-up wide.

Then, back came Belgium. This time De Cat tested Porter with a looping header, before Kaden Braithwaite denied the midfielder’s fierce drive in the space of a few minutes.

And with four minutes left to play before the break, McAidoo came close to a second for England as his strike sailed over after good footwork on the edge of the area.

But, in the 48th minute, Belgium had a spring in their step as Fernandez drew his nation level after his impressive free-kick was placed into the top corner from 30 yards, clipping the crossbar on its way in.

Head coach Neil Ryan then shuffled his options hoping to turn the tide, with Reigan Heskey getting stuck straight into the action, but his strike flashed well wide.

Brad Burrowes, with some instinctive defending, twice denied Jessi Da Silva on the goal-line as the game stretched out, before Heskey forced Brughmans to save low down to his left at the other end.

With the clock ticking towards full time, Lucca Darcon came close to snatching all three points, striking across goal where Porter was equal to the full-back’s drive.

The Young Lions will be back in action on Friday when they face Italy in their second game.

England: 1 Jack Porter (Arsenal), 2 Brad Burrowes (Aston Villa), 3 Dean Benamar (Crystal Palace), 5 Kaden Braithwaite (Manchester City), 6 Jun’ai Byfield (Tottenham Hotspur), 8 Seth Ridgeon (Fulham), 9 Alejandro Rodriguez (Olympique Lyonnais), 10 Max Dowman (Arsenal), 16 Louis Page (Leicester City), 17 Ryan McAidoo (Manchester City), 19 Rio Nguhoma (Liverpool)

Substitutions: 11 Reigan Heskey (Manchester City) for McAidoo 64’, 4 Landon Emenalo (Chelsea) for Ridgeon 64’, 20 Harry Gray (Leeds United) for Nguhoma 77’, 18 Finlay Gorman (Manchester City) for Rodriguez 84’, 14 Luca Williams-Barnett (Tottenham Hotspur) for Page 84’

Substitutes not used: 13 Lanre Awesu (West Ham United), 12 Freddie Simmonds (Brighton & Hove Albion), 15 Malachi Hardy (Tottenham Hotspur)

Goals: Rodriguez 12’

Head coach: Neil Ryan