England 3-2 Belgium

U19s International Friendly 
Darlington FC
Tuesday 6 September 2005

Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson celebrated his England U19s introduction with a pivotal role in the friendly victory against Belgium at Darlington FC.

Coach Martin Hunter's side, preparing for next month's UEFA Friendly Tournament in Poland ahead of the 2006 UEFA U19 European Championship qualifying campaign, produced a bright and inventive performance.

But they had substitute goalkeeper Joe Hart to thank for their success after he made a late point-blank save from Jorn Vermeulen.

Johnson, playing just a short distance from Middlesbrough's Hurworth training base and watched by the club's academy director Dave Parnaby, certainly looked at home.

Instrumental in both of the Young Lions' first-half goals, Johnson did enough to suggest he could offer an option for Boro after the loss of England winger Stewart Downing for at three months because of knee surgery.

Charlton striker James Walker had already gone close before West Ham winger Kyel Reid unleashed a forceful long-range drive, bringing a flying save from visiting keeper Jonathan Ruttens at the expense of a corner.

And Johnson's inswinging flag-kick was met by Huddersfield centre-back Tom Clarke's near-post flick, with the ball ricocheting in off Ruttens to hand England a fifth-minute lead.

Wearsider Johnson threatened again from the right soon afterwards with a curling free-kick which Walker just failed to reach in front of goal.

England were made to pay when Belgium levelled in the 27th minute after one of their few first-half forays.

Jonathan Legear broke on the right to cross into the middle where Anderlecht teammate Regis Lacroix glanced the ball on for Feyenoord's Timothy Derijck to ram home his first goal of the night past exposed Sunderland keeper Ben Alnwick.

England then came through an uncertain spell for Johnson to set up another in the 39th minute, cleverly beating his marker to cut in from the left and force a save at full stretch from Ruttens.

And Walker was rewarded for his awareness when he knocked the loose ball home from around eight yards.

England forged further ahead seven minutes into the second half when a shot from Chelsea midfielder James Smith somehow eluded sub keeper Davino Verhulst, who had replaced Ruttens at the interval.

But spirited Belgium hit back again in the 76th minute when England skipper Gary Roberts brought down Legear and Derijck converted the resultant penalty.

England U19s: Alnwick (Hart 46 mins); Gilbert, Stearman, Clarke (Mancienne 46), Golbourne (Parker 76); Reid (Dyer 66), Smith, Roberts, Johnson; Ephraim (Guthrie 58); Walker (Campbell 46).
Sub not used: Grant.

England Goals: Clarke 5, Walker 39, Smith 52

Belgium Goals: Derijck 27, 76 (pen)

Attendance: 3,123