PREVIEW: On a high after a flawless display against Chile, contenders England will look to sealing their berth for the knockout stages with a victory over two-time champions Mexico in a Group F tie here at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan on Wednesday.
The Young Lions, as they are nicknamed back home, rode Jadon Sancho’s double to sweep aside an undercooked Chile 4-0 in their lung-opener on Sunday.
The English weaved a tapestry of neat passes to build up their attacks, displayed dazzling skills and ran like the deer, to make Chile look inferior in every department throughout the ninety minutes.
Sancho was magnificent on the night providing a sublime assist to Callum Hudson-Odoi besides scoring the brace in the space of nine second-half minutes.
Apart from Sancho, who is slated to leave the team after the group stages due to club commitments at German giants Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City’s playmaker Phil Foden impressed too with former England coach Glenn Hoddle tweeting: “Just watched the under 17s beat Chile, very impressive set of players. Foden looked more South American than they did! Great start.”
England were so good they did not need the services of highly-rated Manchester United forward Angel Gomes who only came on in the 67th minute when his team led 3-0.
Gomes, who is United U-18s skipper, curled in a delectable free kick in the 81st minute to cap off England’s exciting Ashow.
Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster was superb too and so was Chelsea’s George McEachran.
Mexico, on the other hand, were a mixed bag against Asian U-16 champions Iraq. The 2005 and 2011 winners of the tournament were clear favourites against Iraqis but had to be content with a 1-1 stalemate.
Falling behind to a Mohammed Dawood strike early in the first half, the Mario Arteaga coached side tried to make a comeback in the second half and even pegged back through Roberto de la Rosa but lacked teeth to power to a win.
“It’s not a surprise to us, the England win. We have to think of victory when we meet them. We have to attack and show the good things of Mexico,” coach Arteaga had said after their first game when asked about England’s margin of victory.
The two teams have not met before in this age category.
Squads: England: Curtis Anderson, Josef Bursik, William Crelin; Timothy Eyoma, Joel Latibeaudiere, Marc Guehi, Jonathan Panzo, Lewis Gibson, Steven Sessegnon, Morgan Gibbs White, Tashan Oakley Boothe; Conor Gallagher, Angel Gomes, Nya Kirby, George McEachran; Jadon Sancho, Callum Hudson Odoi, Philip Foden, Emile Smith Rowe, Rhian Brewster, Danny Loader
Mexico: VActor DAaz, Cesar Lapez De Alba, Cesar Rafael Ramos Becerra; Alan Luevanos, Luis Olivas Salcedo, Oscar Gatica, Carlos Jimenez, AdriAin HernAindez, Sergio Lozano and RaAl Zavala; Luis Avila, Carlos Zavala, Alexis Torres, Diego Leyva, Deivoon Rico, JesAs Alvarez and Marco Antonio RuAz Zarco; Jairo Torres, Roberto GonzAilez, Cesar Valera, Daniel Valdez.
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