A second-string England drubbed Iraq 4-0 in the concluding Group-F match at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday to ensure that it topped the group with full quota of points in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. England now takes on Group-E runner-up Japan in the pre-quarterfinal.
Japan finished its group league engagements with a 1-1 draw against New Caledonia earlier.
England coach Steve Cooper’s decision to make eight changes to the side that beat Mexico hardly reflected on the team’s performance. The English ‘bench’ was just as potent as the first team, which spoke a lot about the youth development initiative of the Premiership clubs.
In the 11th minute, play-maker Angel Gomes found the net after getting to a cross from the right winger Nya Kirby. The Manchester United youth team player judged the assist from the Crystal Palace midfielder to perfection and connected it after the Reading FC forward Daniel Loader had looked a trifle late in reaching it.
Jadon Sancho, the Borussia Dortmund wing-half, was thoroughly policed by the Iraq defence, and his penalty shot in the 25th minute was saved by the Iraqi goalkeeper Ali Ibadi. Ibadi went on to make a few more spectacular saves later to ensure that the margin was not any bigger.
After the break, England scored three more goals. Emile Smith Rowe doubled the lead in the 57th minute before Loader made amends to his earlier tardiness by scoring in the 59th and 71st minutes.
Iraq introduced its super striker Mohammed Dawood in the 48th minute, but he was neutralised by an alert defence. Dawood, in fact, copped a yellow card — his second in the tournament — for a foul on defender Marc Guehi, which rules him out of the pre-quarterfinals.
Iraq, which took the Group-F runner-up spot with four points, will now play Group-B runner-up Mali in Goa on Tuesday.
Earlier, Under-17 World Cup debutant New Caledonia sprung a big surprise holding Asian giant Japan 1-1 in the concluding Group-E match.
Keito Nakamura scored for Japan while captain Jekob Jeno got New Caledonia’s equaliser.
Japan fielded nine players from the bench, giving the Pacific islanders the chance to make a fist of it.
The result: Group F: England 4 (Angel Gomes 11, Emile Smith Rowe 57, Daniel Loader 59, 71) bt Iraq 0. Group E: Japan 1 (Keito Nakamura 7) drew with New Caledonia 1 (Jekob Jeno 83).