England made a commanding start to its FIFA Under-17 World Cup campaign mauling Chile 4-0 in the opening Group F match at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Sunday.
Watched by a holiday turnout of over 46,000 in the country’s biggest football amphitheatre, England came up with an outstanding team game to completely outplay the South American runner-up, which had to play the last 11 minutes with 10 men.
Keeping its ‘poster boy’ Jadon Sancho at the head of its attack, England displayed the strength of the youth development engineered by the Premier League clubs.
Sancho, who has moved to Dortmund from Manchester City, scored twice and set one up to emerge as the star of the match.
Callum Hudson-Odoi and Angel Gomes, picked up respectively from Manchester City and Manchester United, found the target once each to complete England’s dominance.
Mohammed Dawood | Photo Credit: PTI
England was all over Chile in the opening session averaging ball-possession of over 70 percent. The English colts dictated terms right from the start. Sancho, Rhian Brewster and Philip Foden combined well in the attack.
England nosed ahead in the fifth minute when Sancho set up an overlapping Hudson-Odoi, who finished with an angular attempt.
The young ‘Three Lions’ were even more ferocious after the break and Sancho doubled the lead in the 51st minute. The doughty midfielder clearly added to the sprightliness of the English attack with his fine sense of timing and ball skills.
Nine minutes later Sancho showed his goal-poaching ability once again beating Chilean goalkeeper Julio Borquez with a clinical finish.
With his team down by three goals, Borquez acted out of frustration as Brewster made a dash for the Chilean goal threatening to score the fourth goal. Borquez ended up axing down the English striker and received marching orders in the 79th minute.
Gomes, who came on as substitute in the 67th minute, found the net from the resultant free-kick.
Mexico held
In another Group F match, Iraq claimed its first point in a FIFA U-17 World Cup finals, holding former champion Mexico to a 1-1 draw. Having lost all its matches in its previous appearance in 2013 in UAE, the draw helped Iraq open its account.
Striker Mohammed Dawood took Iraq ahead in the 16th minute with a fantastic solo effort. Mexico found the equaliser through Roberto de la Rosa in the sixth minute of the second half.
The results: Group F: England 4 (Callum Hudson-Odoi 5, Jadon Sancho 51, 60, Angel Gomes 81) bt Chile 0; Iraq 1 (Mohammed Dawood 16) drew with Mexico 1 (Roberto de la Rosa 51).