England 1-2 Austria

UEFA European Under-19 Championships
Sportanlage Rheinweise - Schaan
Wednesday 16 July 2003

England's Under-19s suffered defeat in their opening UEFA European U19 Championship match against Austria in Liechtenstein, despite a first-half equaliser from Stewart Downing.

Austria stunned Stuart Baxter's Lions after just five minutes in a rain-soaked Schaan Stadium when a Lukas Mossner header directed an Austrian corner past Manchester United's Luke Steele.

The goal put Austria in the driving seat as they took the opening period of the game to England, but our boys responded with some neat passing through midfield and grabbed an equaliser on 36 minutes.

A free-kick from all of 25 yards was just asking to be struck and up stepped Downing to oblige. His powerful strike ended in the top corner of Almer's goal via a slight deflection off the wall. 

Steele was called into action moments later repelling Klaus Salmutter's chance, but could do nothing to prevent the winner on the hour mark.

Jurgen Saumel weaved past a trio of England defender's and with just Steele in his way, the Sturm Graz midfielder lifted the ball over his obstacle and in to the net.

England could have claimed a point with a second goal, but Downing's effort from Wayne Routledge's centre was just over before a fine Almer save kept out Donnelly's deflected strike. When Steven Schumacher was dismissed for a second bookable offence, England task became all the more difficult and Austria held on for a memorable win in their first appearance at this stage for 21 years.

Teams

England: 1 Luke Steele, 2 Justin Hoyte, 3 Peter Whittingham, 4 John Welsh, 5 Liam Ridgewell, 6 Andrew Davies, 7 Wayne Routledge, 8 Ciaran Donnelly, 9 Tommy Wright, 10 Lee Croft, 11 Stewart Downing
Subs: 12 Steven Schumacher, 13 Lee Camp, 14 Alan Moogan, 15 Dean Leacock, 16 Marcel McKie, 17 Jerome Watt, 18 Doryll Proffitt

Goals: Downing 36

Austria: 1 Almer, 2 Lechner, 3 Lassnig, 4 Rauchbauer, 5 Berger, 6 Parager, 7 Salmutter, 8 Velek, 9 Mössner, 10 Cehajic, 11 Saumel,
Subs: 12 Vollnhofer, 13 Fürthaler, 14 Bolter, 15 Lindschinger, 16 Schicker, 17 Öbster, 18 Kienast

Goals: Mossner 5, Saumel 60