Report: Greece 1-2 England MU18s

England men’s under-18s struck either side of the break in a 2-1 win over Greece in their penultimate game of the season.

The Young Lions embarked on a trip to Cyprus to sign off the 2025-26 campaign, with one eye on next season’s 2027 UEFA U19 EURO qualifiers.

With just over half-an-hour played at the Dasaki Achnas Stadium near Larnaca, Ben Futcher’s team took the lead.

Dean Benamar thrashed his effort into the bottom corner as the Crystal Palace defender – who scored in a 2-0 win over Croatia in March last time out – made the scoresheet.

England’s opponents equalised before the interval with the scores standing level at half time.

However, substitute Jeremy Monga – who was introduced off the bench in the second period – restored England’s advantage with just over ten minutes remaining, cutting inside and whipping a shot goalward.

The Young Lions are back in action against Cyprus at the same venue in three days on Sunday 31 May (3.30pm BST) for their final game of the season.

England: 1 Freddy Bernal (Chelsea), 2 Yuel Helafu (Manchester United), 3 Dean Benamar (Crystal Palace), 4 Kaden Braithwaite (Manchester City), 5 Albert Mills (Manchester United), 6 Harrison Miles (Manchester City), 7 Ryan McAidoo (Manchester City), 8 Reggie Walsh (Chelsea), 9 Chizaram Ezenwata (Chelsea), 10 Harry Howell (Brighton & Hove Albion), 11 Reigan Heskey (Manchester City)

Substitutes: 13 Dylan Moody (Southampton) for Bernal 57’, 12 Dante Headley (Manchester City) for Helafu 57’, 14 Dante Waite (Chelsea) for Benamar 57’, 15 Malachi Hardy (Tottenham Hotspur) for Braithwaite 57’, 16 Ifeoluwa Ibrahim (Arsenal) for Mills 57’, 17 Finlay Gorman (Manchester City) for Miles 57’, 18 Louis Page (Leicester City) for McAidoo 57’, 19 Alejandro Rodriguez (Annecy, loan from Olympique Lyonnais), Walsh 57’, 20 Jeremy Monga (Leicester City) for Ezenwata 57’, 21 Tynan Thompson (Tottenham Hotspur) for Howell 57’, 23 Yisa Alao (Chelsea) for Heskey 57’

Substitutes not used: 22 Finley Hooper (West Ham United)

Head coach: Ben Futcher

Goals: Benamar 32’, Monga 78’