England U19s slipped to defeat against Greece on Saturday, leaving qualification for this summer’s U19 EURO Finals out of their hands.
A goal in each half from Georgios Llavas and Apostolos Diamantis put the Greeks in the driving seat with a 90th minute Morgan Gibbs-White penalty the only thing to take from a late Young Lions fightback.
But Keith Downing’s side could have easily pinched a point had Danny Loader’s own 76th minute spot-kick not been saved.
England were the brighter side, with Gibbs-White a driving force early on but Greece took the lead in the 34th minute.
Dimitrios Emmanouilidis had been causing problems throughout and his blocked effort fell to Llavas who made no mistake with the rebound.
Just as they did against Czech Republic earlier in the week, England will have been confident of bouncing back and Angel Gomes went close from an Ian Poveda assist shortly after the restart.
Yet it was the visitors who doubled their lead in the 69th minute as Folvos Mpotos’ low corner from the right was drilled home by Diamantis.
Ten minutes later, Loader won and stepped up to take a penalty. However, the Reading striker saw his effort superbly saved by Ioannis Nikopolidis cueing wild celebrations from Greece.
That Greek jubilation almost extended further; Dimitrios Emmanouilidis’ break on the counter attack being met by a fine Josef Bursik save.
Loader won another penalty in the 90th minute but this time Gibbs-White took on the duties sending Nikopolidis the wrong way but it turned out to be a mere consolation.
England will now have to beat Denmark on Tuesday and hope the Czechs avoid defeat to Greece to secure their place at the finals in Armenia.
England U19s: 1 Josef Bursik (AFC Telford United, loan from Stoke City), 3 Steven Sessegnon (Fulham), 4 Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), 5 Marc Guehi (Chelsea), 6 Jonathan Panzo (Monaco) (c), 7 Ian Poveda (Manchester City), 8 Morgan Gibbs-White (Wolverhampton Wanderers), 10 Angel Gomes (Manchester United), 12 Stephen Walker (MK Dons, loan from Middlesbrough), 16 Tariq Lamptey (Chelsea), 20 Arvin Appiah (Nottingham Forest).
Substitutes: 11 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) for Appiah 46, 14 George McEachran (Chelsea) for Gallagher 64, 2 Max Aarons (Norwich City) for Poveda 65, 9 Danny Loader (Reading) for Walker 71, 17 Felix Nmecha (Manchester City) for Gomes 71.
Substitutes not used: 15 Nathan Ferguson (West Bromwich Albion), 18 Rekeem Harper (West Bromwich Albion), 19 Lewis Gibson (Everton), 22 Tom McGill (Basingstoke Town loan from Brighton & Hove Albion)
Head coach: Keith Downing
Goals: Morgan Gibbs-White 90 p
