Match report: England U16s 4-1 Denmark U16s at SGP

Tuesday 11 Feb 2014
Trent Arnold in action against Denmark

England U16s roared back from Sunday's setback against Spain as they fired four past Denmark at St. George's Park.

Kenny Swain's Young Lions could have doubled their tally such was their attacking dominance, but a double from Yan Dhanda and strikes from Zachary Dearnley and Jahmal Hector Ingram sealed their emphatic victory.

The match started at a frantic pace as both sides showed their intent to win. England enjoyed the majority of the ball during the early stages, with Marcus Edwards looking particularly dangerous from his position just behind Hector Ingram.

 

England U16s 4-1 Denmark U16s

UEFA Development Tournament
5pm, Tuesday 11 February
St. George's Park

 

 

Denmark were not happy to just sit back and invite the hosts forward though, and they weren't shy of venturing forward in numbers as they hit Swain's side on the counter-attack on several occasions.

With such attacking intent on display, it was clear that goals would not be lacking and the deadlock was duly broken after 11 minutes.

The goal came when Dhanda delivered a perfect ball for Dearnley between two defenders and the winger raced clear and cooly composed himself before finishing left-footed past the 'keeper.

Denmark had a good chance to level things up almost immediately, but Emil Riis Jakobsen struck his effort straight at England goalkeeper Aston Oxborough, and his side were to pay for that miss on 23 minutes.

The impressive Edwards then played Dhanda inside the left hand side of the area and when he was felled by a defender, he dusted himself off to convert the subsequent spot-kick.

Denmark were still coming forward, but with Ro Shaun Williams marshalling the defence brilliantly, they just couldn't find a way through.

England U16s

Marcus Edwards was impressive in England's win

 

Two further chances for Liverpool midfielder Dhanda could have stretched England's lead before the break but the Danes survived with just a two goal deficit at half time.

It would be a different story just seconds after the re-start though, when it took England less than a minute to grab a third when Hector Ingram raced through to hammer past the 'keeper.

Substitute Jonathan Leko then almost got himself on the scoresheet moments after replacing Hector Ingram, racing through and rounding the 'keeper before firing an effort into the side netting.

By now, the match had slowed down in pace as a number of substitutions took place and this allowed Denmark a chance to get themselves back into the game.

Full back Mathias Andersen raced down the left and cut the ball across the box for Mark Brink Christensen to drill an unstoppable effort past Oxborough and give his side a glimmer of hope just before the hour mark.

But any dreams of a Danish comeback were quickly quashed as Dhanda grabbed his second just four minutes later when Edwards teed him up.

England U16s

Defender Trent Arnold in action at SGP

 

He could have had a hat-trick just moments later too, but fired over from ten yards with the goal-gaping following Leko's cut back.

Both sides had further half chances to add to the scoring before full time, but it will be the prowess of England's attack that will have pleased Head Coach Swain most following this victory.

England face Belgium in their final game of the tournament on Friday afternoon at St. George's Park, kick-off 2pm.

England U16s: 13 Aston Oxborough, 2, James Yates (20 Herbie Kane, 40), 6 Danny Collinge, 7 Zachary Dearnley (17 Andre Green, 55), 8 Tom Davies (C) (3 Hayden Coulson, 40), 12 Trent Arnold (5 Darnell Johnson, 47), 14 Yan Dhanda, 15 Ro Shaun Williams, 16 Marcus Edwards (4 Callum Gribbin, 67), 18 Sadou Diallo, 19 Jahmal Hector Ingram (10 Jonathan Leko, 55).

Subs not used: 1 Ryan Sandford , 9 Kaylen Hinds , 11 Chris Willock.

Goals: Zachary Dearnley (11), Yan Dhanda (22, 62), Jahmal Hector Ingram (41).

Denmark U16s: 16 Viktor Anker, 13 Mathias Andersen, 2 Adnan Curovic, 4 Christian Kudsk (18 Nikolai Laursen, 40), 5 Emil Riis Jakobsen (10 Mads Vang, 51), 8 Jacob Brunn Larsen (11 Mark Brink Christensen, 40), 9 Lasse Jurgensen, 14 Mathias Bonde (C)  (3 Agon Mucolli, 74), 17 Nicklas Rojkjaer (15 Mathias Laursen, 51), 19 Nikolai Kirk, 20 Oskar Buur Rasmussen (12 Martin Holm, 40).

Subs not used: 1 Lasse Askou Mikkelsen, 6 Frederik Fisker, 7 Gonzalo Jorgensen

Goal: Mark Brink Christensen (58).

By Gary Stonehouse Staff Writer St. George's Park