Report: England MU18s 3-1 Ukbekistan

England men’s under-18s got up and running in 2025-26 with a 3-1 triumph over Uzbekistan at the Costa De La Luz U18 international tournament.

The Young Lions’ opponents broke the deadlock after a mix-up at the back for England but Neil Ryan’s side quickly recovered to draw level.

Luca Williams-Barnett made it 1-1 after the midfielder rippled the net with a direct free-kick with just under half-an-hour played at Estadio Antonio Barbadillo.

It wasn’t long before England flipped the script. With 36 minutes on the clock, Alejandro Rodriguez’s finish at the near post made it 2-1 to the Young Lions with the break approaching.

And substitute Ryan McAidoo added a third late in the day in the second half. The teenager picked out the top corner with his effort as it finished 3-1 to England.

Ryan’s team – who are gearing up for this year’s FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar in November – are back in action this weekend on Saturday 6 September (4pm BST kick-off) when they face Morocco in Spain.

England: 1 Freddy Bernal (Chelsea), 2 Bradley Burrowes (Aston Villa), 3 Landon Emenalo (Chelsea), 4 Reggie Walsh (Chelsea), 5 Freddie Simmonds (Brighton & Hove Albion), 6 Malachi Hardy (Tottenham Hotspur), 7 Harry Howell (Brighton & Hove Albion), 8 Finlay Gorman (Manchester City), 9 Igor Tyjon (Blackburn Rovers), 10 Luca Williams-Barnett (Tottenham Hotspur), 11 Alejandro Rodriguez (Olympique Lyonnais)

Substitutes: 13 Lanre Awesu (West Ham United), 22 Dylan Moody (Southampton), 12 Dante Headley (Manchester City), 14 Harrison Miles (Manchester City), 15 Jun’ai Byfield (Tottenham Hotspur), 16 Kaden Braithwaite (Manchester City), 17 Tynan Thompson (Tottenham Hotspur), 18 Seth Ridgeon (Fulham), 19 Chizaram Ezenwata (Chelsea), 20 Louis Page (Leicester City), 21 Ryan McAidoo (Manchester City), 23 Bendito Mantato (Manchester United)

Head coach: Neil Ryan

Goals: Williams-Barnet 24’, Rodriguez 36’, McAidoo 90’