England U18s showed their character to stage a late fight back and secure a 3-1 win over Republic of Ireland in Spain on Saturday.
After a goalless first half, the Young Lions found themselves a behind just after the break when Tyriek Wright opened the scoring for the Irish.
But Neil Dewsnip’s side turned the game on its head when substitute Tyreece John-Jules equalised in the 75th minute, before putting England ahead three minutes later.
With Ireland also down to ten men by this stage following two cautions for Luca Connell, it was left to Folarin Balogun to round off the scoring in stoppage time.
England will be in action again on Monday afternoon, when they face Belgium (4pm kick-off) in their final game of the year.
England U18s: 1 Luca Ashby-Hammond (Fulham), 2 Vontae Daley-Campbell (Arsenal), 3 Luke Thomas (Leicester City), 6 Nathaniel Ogbeta (Manchester City) (C), 10 Anthony Gordon (Everton), 14 Folarin Balogun (Arsenal), 15 Bali Mumba (Sunderland), 17 Paris Maghoma (Tottenham Hotspur), 18 J'Neil Lloyd-Bennett (Tottenham Hotspur), 12 Luis Binks (Tottenham Hotspur), 19 Morgan Whittaker (Derby County)
Substitutes: 7 Arvin Appiah (Nottingham Forest) for Whittaker 56, 4 Clinton Mola (Chelsea) for Maghoma 56, 11 Curtis Jones (Liverpool) for Gordon 56, 9 Tyreece John-Jules (Arsenal) for Lloyd-Bennett 56, 16 Daniel Adshead (Rochdale) for Mumba 81
Substitutes not used: 13 Marcus Dewhurst (Sheffield United), 22 Arthur Okonkwo (Arsenal) 5 Pascal Kpohmouh (Southampton), 8 Faustino Anjorin (Chelsea)
Head coach: Neil Dewsnip
Goals: Tyreece John-Jules 75, 78, Folarin Balogun 90
