Report: Bosnia & Herzegovina 0-6 England WU19s

England women’s under-19s ended their UEFA Women’s U19 EURO first qualifying round with a 6-0 win over Bosnia & Herzegovina.

An early goal from Ria Oukriss set the tone, before second-half goals followed from Lois Shooter (2), Niamh Peacock, Jess Anderson and Freya Hirons against the group's host nation, who had to play most of the game with ten players.

After suffering defeat in their opening game with Denmark last week, John Salomon’s team earned a point in their second match with Switzerland which meant this win was enough to see the Young Lionesses progress to the second qualifying round next spring, with the aim being to reach the EURO Finals in Hungary in June 2027.

The hosts were dealt an early blow after just less than two minutes of the game played, when Leona Ackar was shown a straight red card after a tussle with Katie Scott where she appeared to pull the England defender’s hair.

And the Young Lionesses quickly took advantage of their extra player and got off to a perfect start, when Oukriss fired them ahead in the seventh minute. A flowing team move saw Scott played in down the left and when she squared a pass inside for Oukriss, the Spurs forward fashioned some space for herself before expertly curling a shot in off the post.

With half time on the horizon, England came close to doubling their advantage when Kyri Teer-Hutchins broke into the box and after showing some great skill to evade a defender and then round the ‘keeper, she could only find the side netting from a tight angle to deny her what would’ve been a fantastic goal.

Less than five minutes after the restart, England found their second goal of the afternoon as Elise Christian won possession in midfield before Peacock brought the ball forward and played in Anderson down the right. Her pinpoint centre to the far post was met by Shooter who emphatically fired home from close range.

England then netted a quickfire treble, when they made it was 3-0 in the 71st minute after Scott’s whipped-in corner was powered home by the head of Peacock.

Substitute Sarria Rae was then the creator for the next goal, as she picked out Anderson on the edge of the area and she did the rest, emerging from a huddle of Bosnian defenders with a neat turn before hitting a low shot into the bottom corner.

A minute later, it was 5-0 when Hirons struck home from a tight angle into the roof of the goal, after Christian had picked her out in the box

And with just minutes remaining, Shooter made it six with another crisp finish to round off an impressive afternoon, following an excellent run and cross down the right from substitute Damilola Atinaro.

England: 13 Evie Mitchell (Manchester United), 12 Elise Christian (Chelsea), 5 Niamh Peacock (West Ham) (c), 6 Zara Bailey (Watford), 3 Katie Scott (Aston Villa), 8 Kyri Teer-Hutchins (Arsenal), 4 Romia Gagliano (FC Basel), 14 Gabriella Storey (Chelsea), 7 Jessica Anderson (Manchester United), 9 Lois Shooter (Chelsea, on loan to Nottingham Forest), 20 Rania Oukriss (Tottenham Hotspur)

Substitutes: 15 Lucy Robinson (Manchester United) for Bailey 30, 19 Freya Hirons (Manchester City) for Teer-Hutchins 62, 16 Saffia Rae (Southampton) for Oukriss 62, 18 Taylor Warren (Brighton & Hove Albion) for Peacock 80, 2 Damilola Atinaro (Miami Hurricane) for Christian 80

Substitutes not used: 1 Sophie Jackson, 17 Isabel Hebard

Head coach: John Salomon

Goals: Rania Oukriss 6, Lois Shooter 50, 89, Niamh Peacock 71, Jess Anderon 74, Freya Hirons 76