England U17 0 Switzerland U17 1: Three Lions scrape into European Championship quarter finals despite defeat
Steve Cooper's side finish second in Group A after Swiss ace Felix Mambini ended their winning run
Sponsored by
ENGLAND U17S scraped into the European Championship quarter finals despite losing out 1-0 to Switzerland 1-0 in a frustrating game.
Steve Cooper’s reigning world champions – and Euro hosts – finish second in Group A after a Felix Mambini deflected effort ended their winning start to this competition.
They now face Norway in the last eight on Sunday at Burton’s Pirelli Stadium, while group winners Italy face Sweden after they sunk winless Israel 2-0.
Switzerland needed a 2-0 win against England to nick a place in the knockout stages, but could not take advantage of a few late chances.
The Three Lions dominated large parts of the game with their pacey attacking threat.
Nottingham Forest’s Avrin Appiah had the game’s first chance, latching on to an overhit cross to test Swiss keeper Lucio Soldini, who did well to block with his feet.
Manchester United defender Ethan Laird then found himself in acres of space at the back post from a corner – but he still managed to fluff his lines with a rash volley.
Folarin Balogun then missed the hosts’ best chance – being fed a beautiful low cross from Arsenal teammate Xavier Amaechi but his first time strike from six yards was brilliantly kept out.
AND THEY'RE OFF Wayne Rooney joins Coleen at Chester races after agreeing MLS switch
Manchester City will be concerned after their star midfielder Tommy Doyle was forced off in the first half with a leg injury, and England then had some bad news of their own.
The Swiss took the lead in fortuitous circumstances on the stroke of half time, Bukayo Saka deflecting a Mambini shot into the top corner.
Cooper’s boys attempted to regain momentum in the second half as Faustino Anjorin came mighty close to levelling the scores – his header from close range kissing the far post.
Skipper Jimmy Garner also went close, his curling effort from distance not troubling Soldini enough.
But it proved to be a rare goalless outing for England, who just about survived a late onslaught from the Swiss to stumble into the quarters.
