Report: England MU18s 2-1 Netherlands

England men’s under-18s continued their unbeaten March camp with a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands to lift the U18 Pinatar Super Cup.

The Young Lions went into the match knowing they only needed a draw to win the mini-tournament out in Spain, following Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Czechia and Friday’s 0-0 draw with Germany.

And goals from Leo Black and Leon Chiwome either side of half-time secured another win for the MU18s, who are being led for the rest of the 2023-24 season by interim head coach Tom Curtis.

Both teams were a threat in transition early on but it was England who took the lead just before the half-hour mark when some good combination play in and around the penalty box led to Black slotting it home.

The Young Lions then started the second half stronger and enjoyed a couple of good chances before they doubled their advantage.

Josh Acheampong put over the bar from inside the six-yard box following a great delivery by Lewis Orford and captain Jayden Danns would have scored following some more good interplay had he not been denied when one-on-one.

The second goal arrived with 20 minutes remaining when moments after coming on as a substitute, Chiwome glanced a header expertly past the goalkeeper following a whipped ball from the left-hand side by Ishé Samuels-Smith.

The Netherlands reduced the deficit just three minutes later with a low drive from the edge of the area but England held on to their lead to secure the 2-1 win and lift the U18 Pinatar Super Cup.

England: 1 Matthew Young (Darlington, loan from Sunderland), 2 Leo Black (Tottenham Hotspur), 3 Ishé Samuels-Smith (Chelsea), 4 Lewis Orford (West Ham United), 5 Josh Acheampong (Chelsea), 6 Amara Nallo (Liverpool), 7 Samuel Amo-Ameyaw (Southampton), 8 Kiano Dyer (Chelsea), 9 Jayden Danns (Liverpool) ©, 10 Tyler Dibling (Southampton), 11 Tyrique George (Chelsea)

Substitutes: 15 Harrison Murray-Campbell (Chelsea) for Nallo 46, 12 Tristan Rowe (Aston Villa) for Black 67, 19 Leon Chiwome (Wolverhampton Wanderers) for Danns 67, 18 Michael Golding (Chelsea) for Amo-Ameyaw 78, 14 Reiss Alexander Russell-Denny (Chelsea) for George 78, 16 Jayden Meghoma (Southampton) for Dyer 90

Substitutes not used: 13 Jack Thompson (Derby County), 22 Finlay Herrick (West Ham United), 17 Joel Ndala (Manchester City), 20 Jamaldeen Jimoh (Aston Villa), 21 Trey Nyoni (Liverpool)

Interim head coach: Tom Curtis

Goals: Leo Black 39, Leon Chiwome 70