England are through to the final of the U19 Euros, with Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah the hero as he headed home a late winner against Italy on Tuesday.
While most players are nearing the end of their post-season holidays, with a return to the AXA Training Centre pencilled in for Monday, three young Reds are still in action.
England were one of eight nations to book a place in this summer’s U19 Euros in Slovakia, and manager Ian Foster called up Quansah along with academy team-mates Harvey Davies and Luke Chambers.
It is only Quansah who has featured regularly, though, with the 19-year-old centre-back starting every game as the Young Lions keep up their winning run.
After victories over Austria, Serbia and Israel in the group stage, England secured a spot in the semi-finals and, in turn, qualification for the U20 World Cup next year.
Italy posed the toughest test yet on Tuesday, with Fabio Miretti’s early penalty – the first goal England had conceded in the tournament – keeping them 1-0 up for much of the game.
But Bristol City youngster Alex Scott popped up with the equaliser on the hour mark, with a brilliant header into the far corner minutes after coming on.
Then an excellent inswinging corner from captain Harvey Vale was flicked on by Italy midfielder Cesare Casadei, allowing Quansah to divert it in off his forehead and clinch victory for England.
Foster sent on Liverpool left-back Chambers soon after, as the Young Lions held on for the win and progress to Friday’s final.
There, they will meet Israel for the second time, with Ofir Haim’s side shocking France in the other semi-final with a 2-1 win of their own.
Quansah can be expected to start again in Trnava, as England seek to level Spain with a record 11th title in the U19 Euros, having last won it in 2017.
His involvement with England may, of course, limit his opportunities with the Liverpool first team during pre-season, with Chambers and Davies both also likely to have been called up to senior training had they not been away.
But it is a marker of their quality as young players that they are part of another successful England youth squad.
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