Liverpool academy star Rhian Brewster helps England U17s seal Euro progress

Liverpool U18s forward Rhian Brewster scored a vital penalty as the England U17s moved towards a place at next summer’s European U17 Championship.

Brewster grabbed the attention of Merseyside when he scored five goals in three games as the Young Lions dominated the Croatia Cup back a month ago.

Keeping his place in Steve Cooper’s squad for their Euro U17 qualifiers in Romania, the 16-year-old continued his excellent run of form on the international stage.

With England first taking on Azerbaijan at the CNAF Stadium in Buftea on October 25, Brewster started up front in a 2-0 victory, with goals coming from Manchester United midfielder Angel Gomes and Manchester City wonderkid Jadon Sancho.

Brewster played all 90 minutes in a very comfortable win for Cooper’s side, putting them in a strong position to qualify from Group 6.

The youngster was then left on the substitutes’ bench for England’s next victory, against Romania on October 27, with City’s Philip Foden hitting a brace and Sancho scoring from the spot to seal a 3-0 triumph.

But Brewster returned for the final qualifying clash against Austria on Sunday afternoon in Voluntari.

Fourteen-year-old Austria striker Thierno Ballo opened the scoring on 28 minutes, before Lewis Gibson and Daniel Loader gave England the lead before half-time.

When Gibson was fouled by Fabian Markl after the hour mark, up stepped Brewster to drill his penalty low into the bottom corner.

While Ballo scored a spot-kick of his own 13 minutes later, it proved enough to seal a third successive win and a place in the elite round of qualification, to be played in March.

England will learn their fate in the draw on December 13, but for now Brewster will returned to Kirkby, where he can continue his progress under Liverpool U18s manager Neil Critchley.