Report: England U20 2-1 Costa Rica

Wednesday 31 May 2017

Two goals from Ademola Lookman saw England reach the FIFA U20 World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1993.

The Young Lions, who topped Group A with seven points from three games, were calm and in control throughout – the performance epitomised by Lookman’s finishes on 35 and 63 minutes, while the Everton forward also curled a free-kick against the crossbar.

Only in the final moments Costa Rica truly threatened with Randall Leal scoring the rebound after his penalty had been saved by Freddie Woodman.

In a cagey opening, a promising run from Joshua Onomah on the right-flank culminated with the Tottenham man putting a low ball into the danger area for Kieran Dowell, whose curling effort was blocked.

And it was from the right flank where England created the opening goal. The ever-impressive Jonjoe Kenny drilled in a low cross and Everton team-mate Lookman, standing on the penalty spot, had time to control before squeezing his finish between keeper Erick Pineda and covering defender Esteban Gonzalez.

Costa Rica were shaken and both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lookman, twice, were again thwarted by the busy Pineda before the half-time whistle.

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England’s lead was maintained shortly after the restart when the Video Assistant Referee ruled out Ian Smith’s ‘goal’ with team-mate Esteban Espinoza adjudged to be standing offside when he struck.

The power and pace throughout this England team continued to cause concern for Costa Rica and a marauding run through the middle for full-back Kyle Walker-Peters won a free-kick 25 yards from goal. Lookman’s superbly struck effort flicked the fingertips of Pineda and cannoned against the crossbar.

It was not long before Lookman was able to celebrate again though, the Everton man doubling the Young Lions’ lead. Calvert-Lewin sped down the left flank and played the ball inside to Lookman, who floated past defender Diego Mesen then slotted the ball through the legs of Pineda.

Substitute Adam Armstrong thought he had England’s third when he skipped away from Yostin Salinas and saw his low shot bounce off the legs of Pineda toward the line, only for Mesen to acrobatically hook clear.

With a minute left on the clock Costa Rica halved the deficit with an element of fortune.

Substitute Ainsley Maitland-Niles was adjudged to have blocked Smith’s cross with his arm and, though Leal saw his penalty saved by Woodman, he was able to tuck in the rebound.

England had though, done enough and will meet Mexico or Senegal in the quarter-final on Monday 5 June in Cheonan.

England: 1 Freddie Woodman (Newcastle United); 2 Jonjoe Kenny (Everton), 15 Dael Fry (Middlesbrough), 5 Fikayo Tomori (Chelsea), 14 Kyle Walker-Peters (Tottenham Hotspur); 4 Lewis Cook (capt; AFC Bournemouth, capt), 7 Joshua Onomah (Tottenham Hotspur); 18 Kieran Dowell (Everton), 10 Dominic Solanke (Chelsea), 11 Ademola Lookman (Everton); 16 Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton)

Substitutes: 9 Adam Armstrong (Newcastle United) for Calvert-Lewin 71, 8 Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal) for Onomah 75, 17 Harry Chapman (Middlesbrough) for Dowell 84

Substitutes not used: 13 Dean Henderson (Manchester United), 21 Luke Southwood (Reading), 3 Callum Connolly (Everton), 6 Jake Clarke-Salter (Chelsea), 12 Ezri Konsa (Charlton Athletic), 19 Seyi Ojo (Liverpool), 20 Ovie Ejaria (Liverpool)

Coach: Paul Simpson

Goals: Lookman 35, 63

Yellow cards: Fry 5, Chapman 88

Costa Rica: 13 Erick Pineda, 2 Diego Mesen, 4 Ian Smith, 5 Esteban Gonzalez, 6 Luis Hernandez, 7 Barlon Sequeira, 11 Randall Leal, 12 Juan Arguedas, 17 Esteban Espinoza, 19 Yostin Salinas, 20 Eduardo Juarez

Substitutes: 21 Gerson Torres for Gonzalez 46, 8 Jimmy Marin for Sequeira 65, 14 Cristopher Nunez for Arguedas 65

Substitutes not used: 1 Mario Sequeira, 18 Bryan Segura, 9 Jostin Daly, 10 Jonathan Martinez, 15 Bernald Alfaro, 16 Suhander Zuniga

Coach: Marcelo Herrera

Goal: Leal 89

Yellow cards: Mesen 52, Salinas 70

Referee: Julio Bascunan (Chile)

By Josh Richards Digital Producer

England U20s 2-1 Costa Rica