England 3-1 Portugal

UEFA Under-17 Championship
Group B
Vallée du Cher, Tours
6 May 2004

A Shane Paul double helped England into the last four of the UEFA U17 Championship as John Peacock's boys beat holders Portugal 3-1.

England now sit on six points with one game remaining in Group B, and with third placed Portugal five behind, the Young Lions can only be caught by Austria who they face on Sunday.

In Tours today, Peacock's team were deserved winners over Portugal, who knocked England out in the semi-final on their way to lifting the trophy last year, landing the holders chances of qualification on a knife-edge.

England were in charge as early as the third minute when Shane Paul opened the scoring for the second match in succession. Fraizer Campbell lifted the ball across the goal where the Villa marksman nodded in.

The holders were back on terms just four minutes later. Bruno Gama, who was awesome in last summer's Pepsi Tournament, applied his trickery to the game and his clever flick gave Bruno Moreira a sight of goal on the edge of the penalty area and his curler gave Ben Alnwick little chance.

The ball was in the Portugal net again late in the first half, but the referees whistle signalling the break cancelled out the effort. 

However, Aston Villa striker Paul, who has been prolific in an England shirt this season, made sure England's tally was doubled on the 57th minute when he found joy inside the box once more.

Campbell was again involved, this time his run down the left found Nathan Doyle who rolled into the feet of Paul who showed his eye for goal and guided calmly past Janota for his second.

Late in stoppage time substitute Mark Davies, who plays his club football with Wolves, made sure of England's passage to the last four with the third as his powerful effort crashed against the bar and cannoned in off Janota's legs.

As far as England are concerned now, Sunday's game will decide only where they finish in the top two. Austria on the other hand need a point to assure their route to the semi-final.

Team Details

England: Alnwick, Ashton, Noble, Roberts, Paul (Walton, 60), James (Davies, 54), Walker, Reid, Stearman, Doyle, Wheater

Goals: Paul 3, 57, Davies 80

Portugal: Baleia Janota, Valerio Calado Rodrigues, Faria Marques, Gama, Da Cunha Pinhal, Dias Lourenco, Morais Gomes (Dias Gomes, 62), Barbosa, Azevedo Silva, Assunção Condesso, Guerreiro De Jesus Correia

Goals: Moreira 7