Report: England MU20s 0-1 Switzerland

England men’s under-20s were narrowly beaten by Switzerland at St. George's Park.

Looking to respond to last month’s defeat to Italy at the SMH Group Stadium, Ben Futcher’s side took to the base in Burton in the only international test this camp.

Shea Lacey was vocal in the Young Lions’ attacks early on, testing Aubert Marwan twice, who was well placed to make the save on both occasions.

Winsley Boteli then stole in at the back post, but Tommy Setford positioned himself well to make a routine stop in the end.

England didn’t rest on their laurels, and this time Ato Ampah was kept out by the Switzerland keeper, who saved low down to his side.

The Chelsea man then hit a shot at Marwan from outside the area, before Lewis Orford bent an effort wide after making good space on the attacking front.

Marwan was the centre of attention once more as the Young Lions continued to knock on the door, pushing away Law McCabe’s strike after the Boro midfielder went for the top corner.

Then came a lifeline for the Young Lions, as Setford met Souleymane Ndiaye’s low strike after the Swiss attacker was played in down the right.

And then England found themselves with work to do on 36 minutes. Ryan Kessler planted a ball across to Boteli, who finished under Setford to hand the away side the lead against the run of play.

Shea Lacey was on the end of a move as the half-time whistle loomed, but as was the story up until this point, the visitors’ keeper planted his body on the line.

In response, Boteli had two chances of his own. Setford saved from the forward initially, before the ball bounced back out to his path, shooting wide at the second attempt.

Sticking to their task, the visitors imprinted their defensive low block, doing well in the transition as Ranjan Neelakandan and Lorenzo Bittarelli proved when the pair tested Setford from either wing.

Jamaldeen Jimoh pulled the ball back across to Kiano Dyer in the Young Lions’ late search for an equaliser, but the midfielder could only find the post not long after coming onto the field.

Chances came by in the closing ten minutes, with Ethan Wheatley and Lutfi Dalipi going for goal at either end, but the visitors held out well.

England: 1 Tommy Setford (Arsenal), 2 Lakyle Samuel (Bromley, on loan from Manchester City), 3 Somto Boniface (Ipswich Town), 4 Harrison Murray-Campbell © (Chelsea), 5 Ayden Heaven (Manchester United), 6 Law McCabe (Middlesbrough), 7 Shea Lacey (Manchester United), 8 Lewis Orford (Stevenage, on loan from West Ham United), 9 Jimmy-Jay Morgan (Peterborough United, on loan from Chelsea), 10 Louis Page (Leicester City), 11 Ato Ampah (Chelsea)

Substitutes: 14 Eyimofe Jemide (Crystal Palace) for Heaven 46’, 12 Olabade Aluko (Leicester City) for Samuel, 19 Ethan Wheatley (Northampton Town, on loan from Manchester United) for Morgan, 18 Jamaldeen Jimoh (Aston Villa) for Lacey, 17 Alejandro Rodriguez (Olympique Lyonnais) for Ampah, 15 Kiano Dyer (Volendam, on loan from Chelsea) for Orford,16 Harrison McMahon (Chelsea) for Page 60’

Substitutes not used: 13 Elyh Harrison (Shrewsbury Town, on loan from Manchester United)

Head coach: Ben Futcher