England Under-16s were caught out by two late goals from Japan in their opening game of the Tournoi International in France on Tuesday afternoon.
Dan Micciche’s Young Lions took a two-goal lead in Limeil Brevannes, thanks to strikes from Wolves striker Austin Samuels and Manchester City youngster Jadon Sancho in the first half.
England 3-4 Japan
Tournoi International
1pm, Tuesday 27 October 2015
Stade Didier Pironi, Limeil Brevannes, France
But Japan hit back to make it 2-2 at the break, courtesy of two goals in two minutes.
Brentford forward Ian Carlo-Poveda then restored England’s lead in the 47th minute and the score remained 3-2 until Japan levelled things up four minutes from time.
And they found a winner in the 78th minute to secure an unlikely victory.
England are back in action on Thursday afternoon, when they face the Netherlands in Boissy Saint Leger, just outside Paris.
England: 1 Harrison Male (Leeds United); 3 Zech Medley (Chelsea), 5 Timothy Eyoma (Tottenham Hotspur), 6 Jonathan Panzo (Chelsea) (c) 12 Colin Rosler (Manchester City); 4 Oliver Skipp (Tottenham Hotspur), 7 Felix Nmecha (Manchester City), 16 Tashan Oakley-Boothe (Tottenham Hotspur); 9 Austin Samuels (Wolverhampton Wanderers), 10 Jadon Sancho (Manchester City), 17 Ian Carlo-Poveda (Brentford)
Substitutes: Jamie Soule (West Bromwich Albion) for Samuels 53, Nya Kirby (Tottenham Hotspur) for Sancho 53, Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham) for Carlo-Poveda 65
Substitutes not used: Marc Guehi (Chelsea), Thomas McGill (Brighton & Hove Albion), Matthew O’Riley (Fulham), Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Head coach: Dan Micciche
Goals: Samuels 2, Sancho 25, Carlo-Poveda 47
