Preview: England will know all too well that they will have to put their best foot forward and sweep aside the frailties of the last game when they take on a powerful United States side in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup quarter-final on Saturday. England won against Japan in a round of 16 game via penalty shootouts after failing to unlock their rivals’ rigid defence in ninety minutes. Without star attacking midfielder Jadon Sancho, who has left the team after the group stages for club commitments with Borussia Dortmund, the Steve Cooper-coached side has looked to be lacking teeth. The likes of Phil Foden, Rhian Brewster, Angel Gomes, George McEachran and Callum Hudson-Odoi have looked sharp but failed to convert in Kolkata the other day. In the group stages, England were perfect. Winning three games more or less in convincing fashion, the Young Lions established their title credentials. The USA, on the other hand, had a more comfortable progression with a thumping 5-0 win against Paraguay thanks to a hat-trick from Timothy Weah and a goal each from their star players Josh Sargeant and Andrew Carleton. The USA were drawn in a tough group with Colombia, Ghana and hosts India. But they didn’t let the magnitude of the competition and reputation of their opponents bog them down. They are also one of the few teams in the world to have qualified for every single FIFA U-17 World Cup since its inception. The stars and stripes, however, have never got past the quarter-finals except on one occasion in 1999 where the USA team reached the semi-finals bust lost out to Australia on penalties in the edition where arguably the US’s greatest ever player, Landon Donovan was the star of the tournament. The USA team scored five goals in their group games but definitely took it up a notch in the Round of 16 game against Paraguay by scoring five goals. They will bank on Josh Sargeant, Timothy Weah, Ayo Akinola and Andrew Carleton to deliver the goods up front. Sergino Dest, Chris Durkin, James Sands are the defenders US coach John Hackworth will put ahead of goalkeeper Justin Garces, while Chris Goslin and Blaine Ferri are the key defenders for them. With inputs from IANS.
FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 quarter-final, USA vs England, Football Match Result: Rhian Brewster's hattrick gives England win
Catch all the live score and updates from the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 quarter-final clash between USA and England.
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Fulltime. USA 1-4 England
Penalty to England and a straight red card for USA’s Sergino Dest. Their misery compounds. Brewster goes to put the ball on the spot, looking for his hat-trick. And he makes no mistake. He sends the ball into the net with the last kick of the game as the referee blows the final whistle. England have won 4-1, a comprehensive display. They will travel Guwahati for the semi-final against the winner of Germany vs Brazil. They were excellent tonight and even when the USA were looking threatening, Anderson and his back four did well to hold on against a tide of American attacks. England did not miss the chances that came their way and that was the difference between the two teams. The USA will be disappointed, but England are deserved winners in this quarter-final. They looked sharp in attack and did not seem to miss Sancho. Brewster stepped up and scored a hat-trick, Hudson-Odoi and Phil Foden were hitting top gear tonight. England can take many positives from tonight’s game and back themselves in the semi-finals. Five wins out of five; two more and England will be champions.
England are through to their first U-17 World Cup semi-final!
Full time! USA 1-4 England
Rhian Brewster’s hattrick helps England thrash the USA 4-1.
90+5 GOAL! Rhian Brewster gets his hattrick! USA 1-4 England
Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster is brought down by last man Sergino Dest in the penalty box. The referee shows Dest a straight red. Brewster gets his penalty as he strokes it into the bottom corner beyond a diving Garces.
90` USA 1-3 England
Five minutes of added time. This has been a largely solid performance from England, barring that spell in the first half when it seemed like the USA could score at least six goals.
85` USA 1-3 England
Phil Foden goes off to a standing ovation as the Manchester City player is replaced by Nya Kirby, who scored the winning penalty in England’s last match against Japan.
74` USA 1-3 England
The USA finally find the net. Sargent, the goalscorer. He pounced on a rebound after a shot was parried by Anderson. But the USA still trail 3-1. If they can score another in quick time, this game could well and truly be on.
72` GOAL! USA 1-3 England
Josh Sargent gets on the end of a Sergino Dest cross to tap into the empty net.
66` USA 0-3 England
Game over. England lead 3-0. Gibbs White finds the net for England and puts the fixture to bed. He started the move, passing the ball to Brewster down the right. Brewster put the ball in the box and Gibbs White tapped it in from close range. The USA only have themselves to blame. They’d be looking back at the first half and pulling their hairs out. There is still time left, but a comeback seems highly unlikely now. England U-17 team well on their way to make their first semi-final appearance in the World Cup.
64` GOAL! USA 0-3 England
Morgan Gibbs White triples England’s lead scoring from Rhian Brewster’s cross.
62` USA 0-2 England
England hogging the chances as well now. A stray ball from a clearance on a corner falls on Sessegnon’s feet, he pulls a shot from distance but it is off target. But England seemed to have recovered from their long spell of vulnerability in the first half. USA find themselves trapped in their own half. England have earned half a dozen corners this half as well. The dead ball situations are creating a spot of other for USA. Hudson-Odoi has another shot at goal from far out. His curling effort kept out by a backtracking Garces.
58` USA 0-2 England
England with a flurry of chances to make it 3-0. The USA failed to capitalise on the momentum they built up in the first half. There is still a lot of time to turn things around, but one more goal from England (which seems likelier by the minute) and it will be game over for USA.
52` USA 0-2 England
Good start for England in the second half so far. The attacking trio of Brewster, Hudson-Odoi and Foden have picked up from where they left in the first half. Hudson-Odoi wins a corner and from his delivery, Latibeaudiere heads it into goal but the referee blows the whistle for a foul from the England skipper. England win another corner and again the England skipper has an effort on target only to be saved by Garces.
47` USA 0-2 England
The second half is underway. No changes for either side. The USA must feel they’ve missed a trick by not pulling a goal back before the break. The task is only tougher now. England has had time to steady themselves.
46` USA 0-2 England
And the Young Lions get us started in the second half.
Reckon they’d be pleased with that.
Halftime. USA 0-2 England
Meanwhile, England’s Jadon Sancho has just made his Bundesliga debut for Borussia Dortmund. He comes on as a substitute in the 83rd minute against Frankfurt. The match is tied at 2-2. He must be keeping tabs at Goa, one suspects. It’s half-time and England somehow still lead 2-0. The USA have had 12 shots, only 2 of them on target. That tells the story of the half. England, on the other hand, have pounced on their chances and thus have the lead in the quarter-final.
Halftime. USA 0-2 England
England go into the break with a two-goal advantage thanks to Rhian Brewster’s quickfire brace. Equally impressive have been Callum Hudson-Odoi on the left and Phil Foden in midfield. The USA had chances to score themselves but they couldn’t make it count. Big second half coming up for the USA.
37` USA 0-2 England
Yet another chance for USA. Sargent gets a free header on a corner and it’s over the crossbar. One can sense an English goal coming against the play now and killing off the USA. They’d have only themselves to blame. Cannot miss a dozen chances in a knockout game.
35` USA 0-2 England
Another chance for the USA. Akinola has the space to shoot from 20 yards out and his curled shot is a little wide off the far post. USA’s expected goals map must be buzzing, but still no goals. All these missed chances will end up hurting them. They must get a goal before half-time.
33` USA 0-2 England
Brewster is on fire tonight and he really wants that hattrick. He gets another chance to get it. His shot from the edge of the box is not too far from the target. The USA react with a chance of their own. Ferri finds himself in some space at the edge of the box and his shot is also inches wide off the post. End to end stuff. But the USA soon need to create a goal out of their chances.
29` USA 0-2 England
Brewster had to put that in the back of the net! Hudson-Odoi finds the Liverpool youngster but Brewster, who could’ve had his hattrick, drags his shot wide of the post.
24` USA 0-2 England
Big chance for USA’s Josh Sargent on a corner. Anderson gets a weak hand on the in-swinging corner and the ball falls on an unmarked Sargent. His first-time shot didn’t connect well and hit the crossbar. USA’s best chance yet. This should definitely have been 2-1. The USA might come to rue their misses later on. However, their coach would be pleased with the way they’ve reacted after the second goal. The match has come alive.
22` USA 0-2 England
How have the US not scored yet?! Anderson misjudges a corner which is pounced upon by Sargent at the far post. With the goal open in front of him, Sargent’s shot hits the underside of the bar and bounces out.
20` USA 0-2 England
The USA with a brilliant chance to pull one back, but Tim Weah is off target. He did quite well to dribble the ball across the edge of the box, but his shot is just wide of the target. Considering the form he’s in, he should’ve made it 2-1 there. The USA showing signs of life. This is exactly what they need more of. They need to calm their nerves down and concentrate on playing their natural game.
19` USA 0-2 England
What a miss that is from Tim Weah! The USA go on the counter and Carleton slips in the ball for Weah on the left. Weah runs across the face of goal but his shot is way off target.
15` USA 0-2 England
Brewster with another chance. He could’ve had his hattrick there within 15 minutes! He charges into the box from the left, but his shot under pressure is lacking power and is parried away by Garces. England are flying. USA seem like they are stumped by the way their opponents have started.
14` GOAL! Brewster again! USA 0-2 England
England have doubled their lead. Brewster is the goalscorer again. He received a ball from the midfield, ran on through and chipped Garces for his double. England are running away with this. They have hogged all the possession and USA have barely had any time on the ball. USA need a reaction here. For now, England look imperious.
12` USA 0-1 England
And England make good on their good start to the game. They have taken an early lead, and deservedly so. Foden was the key man in the move. He dribbled down the right and pulled a shot on goal. The rebound fell at Brewster’s feet and he made no mistake. 1-0.
11` GOAL! Rhian Brewster scores! USA 0-1 England
Brilliant goal for England! Foden with good work down the right and his shot/cross is parried away by Garces but it’s straight at Brewster who smashes it into the roof of the net.
7` USA 0-0 England
Hudson-Odoi is involved in another chance, a big one this time. He does really well to run down the left and shake off Watts to dribble into the box. His shot at goal from close range is blocked though. England have started well. Two chances early on and they are looking much more confident in their movement and passing. USA a bit on the backfoot.
6` USA 0-0 England
Really good work that from Hudson-Odoi on the left. He sprints away from Watts and gets into the box but his shot is blocked superbly by Sands.
4` USA 0-0 England
Nervy moment for Garces in the US goal there. Oakley-Booth lets one fly from outside the box and the ball bounces right in front of Garces who almost spills it but he’s quick enough to pounce on it.
Kick off! USA 0-0 England
The USA get us underway and they go for goal right from the start but it is off target. A minute later, Carleton tries his luck from a distance again but Anderson watched it bounce past his post safely for a goal-kick.
Not too far away from kick-off now. Without a doubt, Germany vs Brazil is the showstopper of the quarter-finals, but England-USA has the potential to be a cracker. The two teams cleared the Round of 16 hurdle in polar opposite ways — one walked all over their opponent, other went toe to toe and finally won on penalties — but both gained a boost to their morale.
England’s hero last time around was their goalkeeper Curtis Anderson, who saved a penalty in the shootout and then went on to score from the spot himself. For, the USA, it was hat-trick-hero Tim Weah. Both the teams’ attacking players have been in sound form and if they get going the game could be a thriller. England will be missing their key man Jadon Sancho, but all eyes will be on Phil Foden, who has been highly creative up front.
http://www.firstpost.comSomething to get the US fans going!
Here is how the teams lineup tonight.
USA: Justin Garces (GK), Chris Gloster, James Sands, Chris Durkin, Ayo Akinola, Blaine Ferri, Josh Sargent (C), Tim Weah, Andrew Carleton, Akil Watts, Taylor Booth
England: Curtis Anderson (GK), George McEachran, Marc Guehi, Jonathan Panzo, Philip Foden, Tashan Oakley-Boothe, Rhian Brewster, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Joel Latibeaudiere (C), Steven Sessegnon, Morgan Gibbs White