England 2-0 Switzerland

International Friendly
Wycombe Wanderers FC
16 November 2005

A second half double from West Ham United striker Moses Ashikodi gave England U19s a convincing victory over Switzerland at a chilly Causeway Stadium.

England created a lot of chances but relied on goals in the final half an hour to confirm a deserved victory which sets Martin Hunter's side up perfectly for next year's European Championship qualifiers.

Though the home side dominated most of the play in the first period, they were frustrated by an inability to convert good chances into goals.

Wingers Adam Johnson of Middlesbrough and Southampton's Nathan Dyer were the most impressive performers in a white shirt as England looked to stretch their opponents in the wide areas.

After 15 minutes England opened up the Swiss defence for the first time but squandered what proved to be their best chance of the first period.

Having received the ball from the imposing Chelsea midfielder Anthony Grant, Dyer made a good run inside and passed into the box where Joe Garner flicked a pass on for Gary Roberts, who forced a good save from the keeper.

Then just short of the half hour mark, Crewe Alexandra's Billy Jones made a great run from right back and passed in to captain Mark Noble.

Rather than take on a shot, Noble elected to pass through to Garner but crowded out it was eventually Jones whose effort was blocked.

Johnson curled in a perfect corner from the right which missed a group of players jumping at the near post, struck the knee of Micah Richards, deflected towards goal and was cleared off the line by Christophe Lambert.

As if to prove that was no fluke, Richards had another effort on goal three minutes later but his header from Roberts' floated free-kick looped narrowly over the far post with the 'keeper beaten.

Undeterred, England still flooded forward and had further chances through Johnson, Garner and Dyer which all failed to test Huber.

The Swiss were in truth fortunate to be level at the interval and they very nearly fell behind within moments of the restart when Richards again went close.

Dyer then supplied another inspired moment but just as he should have passed through to Johnson or Garner, he lost control of the ball.

However he charged the defender's attempted clearance down and Johnson picked up the ball only to flash a good chance well wide of Huber's goal.

Just before the hour came maybe the turning point in the match when Moses Ashikodi replaced Joe Garner. He immediately added a cutting edge to the attack and England suddenly started to look dangerous every time they came forward.

Four minutes after coming on came Ashikodi's first sniff of a chance but Noble's ball through to the substitute was cut out just as the West Ham man shaped for a shot at goal.

Moments after that Noble did manage to slip a pass through to Ashikodi, whose first touch brought the ball under control but he was denied thanks to a solid piece of goalkeeping from Huber.

On 68 minutes England finally made the breakthrough and got the goal that their enterprising efforts fully deserved and it was that man Ashikodi who supplied the finish.

Nathan Doyle's long cross-field pass from deep was only half cleared by the Swiss defence and was picked up on the edge of the area by Anthony Grant.

He surged into the box and then flicked a pass inside to Ashikodi who showed excellent awareness to turn inside his man and slot a low shot past the onrushing goalkeeper.

A minute later Hunter's side almost made it two thanks to more superb play from Dyer. He charged in from off the touchline and having beaten three defenders knocked a perfectly-weighted pass through to Ashikodi.

The Swiss defence managed only to deflect the ball to Johnson and he couldn't quite get the ball on to his left foot to have an effort at goal.

England got their second goal and made the game safe seven minutes from the end when Ashikodi showed good awareness to latch on to a loose ball in the penalty area.

A ball over the top of the Swiss defence was collected by the energetic Dyer. The Saints flyer intelligently delayed his cross to allow support to arrive and then passed in to Gavin Rothery at the near post.

The Leeds man couldn't quite bring the ball under control but as the ball span loose in the area, Ashikodi steamed in and smacked the ball past Huber into the bottom corner of the net.

England U19s v. Switzerland, Wycombe, 16 November 2005

England: Ben Alnwick - Sunderland (Joe Hart - Shrewsbury Town), Billy Jones - Crewe Alexandra (Nathan Doyle - Derby County), Ben Parker - Leeds United, Gary Roberts - Crewe Alexandra (Gavin Rothery - Leeds United), Micah Richards - Manchester City, David Wheater - Middlesbrough, Nathan Dyer - Southampton (Levi Porter - Leicester City), Anthony Grant - Chelsea, Joe Garner - Blackburn Rovers (Moses Ashikodi - West Ham Utd), Mark Noble - West Ham United, capt. (Richard Stearman - Leicester City), Adam Johnson - Middlesbrough
Subs not used: Nathan Ashton - Charlton Athletic FC

Goals: Ashikodi 68, 83