Belarus 0-4 England
UEFA European U17 Championship, Group A
Santa Croce sull'Arno, Italy
03 May 2005
The England U17s won their opening match of the UEFA European U17 Championship with an impressive 4-0 victory over Belarus in Santa Croce sull'Arno.
A first-half strike from Myles Weston was followed in the second period by a Hogan Ephraim brace and a penalty from Joe Garner as England got off to the perfect start in Group A.
Lewis McGugan was at the heart of most of the good play in England's midfield, and it was his excellent range of passing that lit up a first half dominated by John Peacock's side.
The Nottingham Forest player's control on the ball was proving fruitful for Weston and Darryl Knights on the England flanks and once or twice they produced good deliveries from which James Vaughan and Ephraim went close.
After 11 minutes of the match such a phase of play nearly saw Weston score the opening goal of the match. McGugan played a delicate chip over the top which saw the Charlton man shoot just wide right of Ihar Khomliak's goal.
Moments later West Ham's Ephraim found some space in the box but just as he shaped to shoot, Khomliak closed down on him well and saved with his feet.
That was followed by two headers from Vaughan and England's finally broke the deadlock on 17 minutes with a well taken goal.
McGugan's central midfield partner, Scott Phelan of Everton, clipped a perfect ball over the back of the Belarussian defence where Aleh Veratsila was slow to react, allowing the impressive Weston to race in and steal the ball.
The Charlton Athletic midfielder ran clear of the rest of the defence, took the ball into the penalty area and fired a low, left-footed shot past Khomliak from 16 yards out.
The goal was richly deserved for England and they went further ahead five minutes after the break with a flowing move finished by Ephraim.
McGugan, still controlling the centre of midfield superbly, broke up another Belarus move and passed through to the West Ham man. He laid the ball off first time for Vaughan, who played a little pass through the defence which Ephraim finished low to Khomliak's right.
England looked comfortable now and on 55 minutes they extended their lead thanks to another well-worked move and cool finish from Ephraim.
Scott Golbourne worked a little space wide on the left before releasing Ephraim. The striker had plenty to do but he weaved his way past two defenders before swerving a shot past the 'keeper from an acute angle.
Though both coaches were by now ringing the changes from the sidelines, nothing looked like it would knock England out of their stride and with ten minutes to go they were awarded a penalty for a foul on substitute Joe Garner.
The Blackburn striker picked the ball up himself and calmly slotted home the spot-kick to give England an impressive opening victory.
TheFA.com will have all the latest news from inside the England camp throughout the European U17 Championship.
England U17s v Belarus, Santa Croce sull'Arno, 03 May 2005
England: David Button - Tottenham Hotspur, Elliot Omozusi - Fulham,
Leigh Mills - Tottenham Hotspur, Michael Mancienne - Chelsea (capt.),
Scott Golbourne - Bristol City, Myles Weston - Charlton Athletic (Fabrice Muamba - Arsenal, 75), Scott Phelan - Everton, Lewis McGugan - Nottingham Forest (Andy Gooding - Coventry City, 69), Hogan Ephraim - West Ham United, James Vaughan - Everton (Joe Garner - Blackburn Rovers, 62), Darryl Knights - Ipswich Town
Goals: Weston 17, Ephraim 45, 55, Garner 70 (pen)