Report: Italy 3-3 England MU20s

England men’s under-20s were held to a 3-3 draw by Italy as they travelled to Rome, with goals from Millwall loanee Thomas Watson and Manchester United's Ayden Heaven.

The draw at Riano Athletic Centre, home to Roma City, was the Young Lions’ only game of the international window, with England having last faced Italy in September last year on home soil in Chesterfield.

A first-half brace from Watson and a header from Heaven looked to be enough to secure victory over the Azzurrini, but second-half goals from Matteo Lavelli, Giacomo Stabile and Dominic Vavasorri levelled the match.

The first chance of the game fell to the Young Lions in the fifth minute. Thomas Watson made space for a shot but curled his effort just beyond the top right corner.

As the game unfolded, both sides looked to create opportunities; the Azzurrini were a threat on the counter-attack whilst England controlled possession.

It was through one of these moves that Italy spurned a golden opportunity. Emanuele Rao fired wide after a quickly executed attack.

The Young Lions appeared to be awakened by this near miss as they opened the scoring from the resulting goal-kick.

A flowing move started by Finlay Herrick was finished by Watson, who dragged a low effort into the bottom corner.

However, it was an incisive pass by Kieran Morgan that changed the pace of the attack and released Joel Ndala. The winger drove at his man before laying the ball off to Watson, who converted what was a fine passage of play.

As a result of going behind, Italy looked to stem the flow of the Young Lions’ attacks as they took control of possession.

This almost paid dividends for the Azzurrini in the 32nd minute, but Vavassori’s turn and shot were well-saved by Herrick, who turned the ball behind for a corner.

Just two minutes later, the hosts were awarded a penalty after Heaven was adjudged to have fouled Lavelli in the 18 yard box.

However, Herrick guessed the correct way and dived down to his right to deny Lavelli from equalising.

Several bookings and half-chances followed for both sides as the match approached the halfway mark.

Seconds before the interval, Watson doubled the Young Lions’ lead after he nodded home an inviting cross from Kevin Pinto.

The referee’s whistle blew soon after, capping off a great half for Ryan’s side.

Keen to make amends, Italy started the second half quickly, but a block from Heaven denied the hosts’ best effort from a flurry of chances.

In the 55th minute, Herrick was called upon again to deny the Azzurrini. This time, a well-worked move found Rao, but his effort was tipped wide by the goalkeeper.

England cleared the resulting corner and earned one of their own from the resulting attack. Heaven was the player who leapt highest to nod home a pacy Watson delivery and the Young Lions’ third goal of the game.

Soon after, Heaven made another superb block as he deflected a vicious shot wide of Herrick’s goal.

Italy continued to push for a goal, and in the 64th minute, they were inches away from finding one. Vavasorri crept in behind the Young Lions’ defence but was denied by the post from close range.

Eventually, the Italian pressure paid dividends as Lavelli curled a shot past Herrick from 20 yards out, finally beating the West Ham United goalkeeper.

In the 71st minute, the hosts found a second as Stabile pulled another goal back.

The game opened up in the last few minutes as both sides looked to score; England to extend their advantage and Italy to equalise.

With just two minutes to go, it was the latter that happened. Vavasorri turned in a scrappy goal via a backheel to level for the hosts. 

England: 1 Finlay Herrick (West Ham United), 2 Kevin Pinto (SL Benfica II), 3 Jayden Meghoma (Rangers, loan from Brentford), 5 Ayden Heaven (Manchester United), 6 Zach Abbott (Nottingham Forest), 7 Kadan Young (Reading, loan from Aston Villa), 8 Callum Olusesi (Tottenham Hotspur), 4 Kieran Morgan (Queens Park Rangers), 10 Thomas Watson (Millwall, loan from Brighton and Hove Albion), 11 Joel Ndala (Sheffield Wednesday, loan from Manchester City), 9 Jimmy Jay-Morgan (Peterborough United, loan from Chelsea)

Substitutions: 18 Isiah Dada-Mascoll (Manchester City) for Olusesi 46’, 16 Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba (West Bromwich Albion, loan from Aston Villa) for Watson 69’, 15 Harrison Murray-Campbell (Chelsea) for Young 69’, 14 Erroll Mundle-Smith (Norwich City) for Jay-Morgan 69’, 12 Olabade Aluko (Leicester City) for Pinto 69’, 13 Sam Proctor (Aston Villa) for Herrick 69’, 19 Joshua Ajala (West Ham United) for Heaven 69’, 20 Somto Boniface (Ipswich Town) for Meghoma 78’, 17 Preston Fearon (West Ham United) for Ndala 88’

Substitutes not used: 22 Jack Thompson (Derby County)

Head coach: Neil Ryan

Goals: Watson 15’, 45+1’, Heaven 58’