Click here for highlights of Iraq vs Mali
Preview: With or without star player Jadon Sancho, in-form England start as hot favourites against Asian heavyweights Japan in the FIFA U-17 World Cup pre-quarterfinal clash at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan on Tuesday.
Sancho, a vital cog in England's free-flowing wheel throughout the group stages, was only allowed to attend the tournament on condition that he would return to his club, German giants Borussia Dortmund, after the group stages.
The English Football Association (FA), according to reports, tried to persuade Dortmund bosses to change their stance and let the talismanic player stay to hopefully fire England to World Cup glory.
While there was still no clarity on whether the highly-rated winger, comfortable on both flanks, would stay with the team or not, Sancho was seen training with one batch of English players on Sunday raising hopes of a possible end to the impasse.
But from what has been on display over the last week, it would be naive to imagine Steve Cooper's charges struggling against Japan even if Sancho is not available.
"We showed we have 21 players who can start games and make a difference in a tournament at this level which is obviously great.
"It will be difficult to pick the team for the next one but it bodes well that we have got so many players developing from our system and can come away from the World Cup and be better players," coach Cooper had said after their previous 4-0 verdict against Iraq despite making eight changes to the team that beat Mexico 3-2.
Barring Stoke City goalkeeper Josef Bursik, England have used all of their 20 players in three games underlining the depth in their ranks.
The only chink in the Europeans' armour has been their defence with the backline of Timothy Eyoma, Joel Latibeaudiere, Marc Guehi and Jonathan Panzo unlocked in the space of few minutes by Mexico's Diego Lainez.
Coming to Japan, the Yoshiro Moriyama-coached side gave a poor account of themselves in their last group engagement, drawing 1-1 with minnows New Caledonia who until then had shipped a dozen goals in two matches.
After coasting to a 6-1 victory over lowly Honduras, Japan were checked by France 1-2 with key players Keito Nakamura and Takefusa Kubo man-marked and their midfielders zonally choked.
Japan played a second-string team resting nine players against New Caledonia but their meek surrender after Nakamura had given them an early lead was far from a good advertisement of their bench strength - a sharp contrast to England.
Nakamura and Kubo would be the key players in Moroyama's scheme of things. In the other camp, the likes of Phil Foden, Angel Gomes, Rhian Brewster and George McEachran would look to continue their superb run upfront hassle free.
Japan and England have never met before at the U-17 World Cup.
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
Japan: Umeda Togo, Tani Kosei, Suzuki Zion; Nobuki Iketaka, Takumu Kemmotsu, Yukinari Sugawara, Yuki Kobayashi, Taichi Yamasaki, Seiya Baba, Kohei Okuno, Rei Hirakawa, Toichi Suzuki, Naoki Tsubaki, Shimpei Fukuoka, Hinata Kida, Soichiro Kozuki, Hiroto Yamada, Taisei Miyashiro, Keito Nakamura, Takefusa Kubo, Koki Saito.
With Inputs from IANS
Updated Date: Oct 17, 2017 22:22 PM
Highlights
England 5-3 Japan
Full time! England beat Japan 5-3 on penalties!
England are through to the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-17 World Cup after beating Japan 5-3 on penalties after the match finished 0-0 after 90 minutes. The Young Lions will now face the USA in Goa on 21 October.
Halftime! England 0-0 Japan
For the first time in their four games in Kolkata, England go into halftime without scoring a goal, courtesy some brilliant last-ditch defending from the Japanese side and Rhian Brewster's poor finishing.
England had eight goalscoring opportunities in the first half, to Japan's five, but failed to break the deadlock. Japan's Kuzuki saw two of his nation's best chances fall upon him but the Asian side has been on the backfoot for most of the half.
Kick off! England 0-0 Japan
And we're off in a noisy Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata in the third Round of 16 match.
22:22 (IST)
That's it from the Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata.
22:16 (IST)
Mali are also through to the quarterfinals after they thrashed Iraq 5-1.
22:14 (IST)
22:14 (IST)
22:13 (IST)
England 5-3 Japan
22:10 (IST)
Full time! England beat Japan 5-3 on penalties!
England are through to the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-17 World Cup after beating Japan 5-3 on penalties after the match finished 0-0 after 90 minutes. The Young Lions will now face the USA in Goa on 21 October.
21:55 (IST)
Full time! England 0-0 Japan
It ends in a goalless draw in Kolkata and we will head to the first penalty shootout of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup to decide who will face the United States in the last eight.
21:51 (IST)
90+1` England 0-0 Japan
We are into five minutes of stoppage time in Kolkata and it has been a mouthwatering clash between the two continental heavyweights. Anderson has been the busiest of the two goalkeepers in the dying stages and Japan have thrown caution to the wind, attacking down both right and left wing.
21:48 (IST)
88` England 0-0 Japan
Miyashiro's shot is deflected just wide off Anderson's post as Japan come closer than they have all night. Kubo, the 'Japanese Messi' has been on fire in the second half and Japan have asked difficult questions off England here.
21:45 (IST)
86` England 0-0 Japan
Japan are defending for their life now, as Hudson-Odoi's shimmying runs down the left flank have pegged Japan back into their own penalty area, but England lack that final decisive touch.
21:42 (IST)
82` England 0-0 Japan
Japan survive the first prominent English attack in over ten minutes as Emil Smith Rowe's shot hits the side netting.
21:40 (IST)
80` England 0-0 Japan
The tide has turned completely in Japan's favour with England losing the second balls in midfield and failing to retain possession. Clear-cut chances elude the Japanese though, with England's no-frills defending seeming unsurmountable for Japan's forwards.
21:36 (IST)
75` England 0- Japan
Mali have all but confirmed their spot in the quarterfinals. Fode Konate's goal have tripled Mali's lead over Iraq and surely there's no way back for the Asian team now.
21:33 (IST)
73` England 0-0 Japan
Kubo and Tsubaki have benefitted from the tired legs of the Young Lions and have opened up the game with teasing balls into the final third, as the players take a much-needed drinks break.
21:30 (IST)
70` England 0-0 Japan
England are going all out to find that elusive goal and have brought on Emil Smith Rowe and Morgan Gibbs White to instil more pace into their gameplan. Japan, however, had the upper hand in the last five minutes, slowly gaining confidence in front of a supportive Yuva Bharati crowd.
21:24 (IST)
64` England 0-0 Japan
First change for England as Emile Smith Rowe is sent on in place of captain Angel Gomes.
21:23 (IST)
62` England 0-0 Japan
Japan have pretty much been spectators in the second half but all of England's stylish football hasn't yielded any result as they seem to lack the final product. Japan have attempted a few counter-attacks in the last few minutes, but substitute Tsubaki has not troubled either of the English centre-halves.
21:18 (IST)
56` England 0-0 Japan
England have wasted two clear chances inside a minute. Hudson-Odoi gets on the end of a beautiful through ball from Gomes. His cross is blocked by the Japanese defence and Foden fails to toe-poke in. Japan's counter-attack breaks down and Hudson-Odoi fizzes in another good cross but Brewster is slow to get the end of it and the chance is wasted.
21:13 (IST)
54` England 0-0 Japan
Japan make the first substitution of the match. Surprisingly, Keito Nakamura, Japan's top scorer in the tournament, is replaced by Naoki Tsubaki.
21:10 (IST)
49` England 0-0 Japan
England with the first chance of the second half. The Young Lions with a sustained possession of the ball. They move the ball around the Japanese box and George McEachran lets one loose from the edge of the box. Tani parries the ball away but gets up quickly to prevent Brewster from getting on the rebound.
21:04 (IST)
Second half resumes. England 0-0 Japan
Japan get us underway at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata.
20:56 (IST)
Meanwhile, in Goa, Mali lead Iraq by two goals to none at halftime. Goals from Hadji Drame and Lassana Ndiaye have put the African side in control of the match.
20:52 (IST)
Halftime! England 0-0 Japan
For the first time in their four games in Kolkata, England go into halftime without scoring a goal, courtesy some brilliant last-ditch defending from the Japanese side and Rhian Brewster's poor finishing.
England had eight goalscoring opportunities in the first half, to Japan's five, but failed to break the deadlock. Japan's Kuzuki saw two of his nation's best chances fall upon him but the Asian side has been on the backfoot for most of the half.
20:44 (IST)
42` England 0-0 Japan
England are increasing the pressure on Tani's goal through a number of successive corners. Phil Foden's shot after Hudson-Odoi's excellent work on the left flank is deflected onto the side netting and Brewster can only head wide, after being left unmarked on the resulting corner.
20:40 (IST)
38` England 0-0 Japan
Japan almost snatch the lead. Nakamura gets on the end of a cutback but his shot is deflected off an English defender's leg. Toichi Suzuki gets on the end of the deflected shot but his attempt from an acute angle hits the side netting.
20:35 (IST)
33` England 0-0 Japan
Calum Hudson-Odoi has come into his own in the last ten minutes and the Chelsea player's link-up with Gomes has troubled the Japanese defenders who have had a few close calls in the penalty area.
Rhian Brewster, leading the line for the Young Lions, has had a mixed evening so far. While he has been in the right position on quite a few occasions, his first touch and finishing has been subpar so far.
20:34 (IST)
31` England 0-0 Japan
England string some clever passes in the midfield. Latibeaudiere slips in a perfectly weighted pass to Brewster whose first touch is heavy giving keeper Tani to rush in and grab the ball.
20:29 (IST)
27` England 0-0 Japan
Brewster hits the outside of the post in what is England's best goalscoring chance of the night after Phil Foden once again orchestrates a through ball which splits open the Japanese defence. Moments later, Gomes skies it over after some good work by Hudson-Odoi on the left.
20:27 (IST)
25` England 0-0 Japan
There's a goal on the other Round of 16 match. Hadji Drame has given Mali the lead against Iraq after 25 minutes.
20:24 (IST)
23` England 0-0 Japan
The Japanese have defended well against England's fluid, quick movement of the ball with Phil Foden being the primary attacking outlet for Steve Cooper's side. The Three Lions are definitely missing the pace and guile of Jadon Sancho.
20:22 (IST)
20` England 0-0 Japan
England are pressing high up the pitch and are forcing the Japanese players to make mistakes. Phil Foden and Rhian Brewster are combining well and creating problems for the Japanese defence.
20:16 (IST)
14` England 0-0 Japan
The Young Lions are slowly asserting themselves. Rhian Brewster gets England's first shot on target after Japan give away the ball in a dangerous area and Angel Gomes sets up the Liverpool forward for a shot which is easily caught by Tani.
20:11 (IST)
8` England 0-0 Japan
Kosei Tani is feeling the nerves as the Japanese goalkeeper is quick to come out of his line and has looked unsure on two different occasions in the last two minutes.
20:09 (IST)
4` England 0-0 Japan
Japan, getting possession of the ball for the first time in the game, immediately counter through the right and Soichiro Suzuki manages to register the first shot of the game, which is saved by a diving Anderson.
20:04 (IST)
3` England 0-0 Japan
England kick-off in front of a packed Yuva Bharati Krirangan and Japan are all but starved off possession in the first few minutes of the game.
20:02 (IST)
Kick off! England 0-0 Japan
And we're off in a noisy Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata in the third Round of 16 match.
19:58 (IST)
Both teams are out of the tunnel at the Salt Lake stadium as we near kick off of the match between England and Japan. The players line up for the rendition of the national anthems and after the pre-match pleasantries, we're all set to go.
19:14 (IST)
Here are the starting lineups.
England: Anderson, Guehi, Latibeaudiere, Sessegnon, Panzo, McEachran, Fode, Oakley-Boothe, Gomes, Hudson-Odoi, Brewster.
Japan: Tani, Kobayashi, Hirakawa, Sugawara, Kida, Kubo, Fukuoka, Miyashiro, Nakamura, Kozuki, Suzuki.
19:13 (IST)
It has been a sensational evening of football on the second matchday of the knockouts in the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup with Spain and Iran progressing to the last eight.
England play Japan at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata with Steve Cooper's side being the favourites in this particular Round of 16 game. England, the Group F winners, have already announced themselves as serious contenders for the winners' medal while Japan, who finished second in Group E (behind France, who got eliminated earlier today), are one of Asia's heavyweight teams.
Although England, having played all three of their group matches at Kolkata, will enjoy the fans' support, Japan will look to improve on their previous showing at this venue, when they drew 1-1 against New Caledonia.
19:10 (IST)
Hello and welcome to Firstpost's live coverage of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 match between England and Japan.