England is through to the 2017 Under-17 World Cup final after beating Brazil 3-1 in the semi-final.
Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster twice put England ahead in the first half either side of Wesley’s equalizer for Brazil and then sealed the Three Lions’ place in the final by adding a third late on.
Brewster, who netted a hat-trick in England’s 4-1 win over the USA in the quarter-final, continued his hot scoring form in this tournament and turned in Callum Hudson-Odoi’s low cross to put Steve Cooper’s side ahead after just ten minutes.
Brazil quickly pulled themselves together and Wesley tapped in the equalizer after Curtis Anderson fumbled a shot from the edge of the box.
The Young Lions fought back and Brewster scored his second goal of the game and became the tournament’s top goal scorer. An incisive move freed space for Steven Sessegnon to deliver a low cross to Brewster who had a simple finish.
A goal in a major tournament is a great achievement for a striker; a hat-trick is the stuff of dreams. But back-to-back hat-tricks, that is just unthinkable. But not for Brewster who scored his third with 15 minutes to go and sent England into the final.
England moved the ball in a fashion that Pep Guardiola would be proud to find Emile Smith-Rowe who fired in a low cross and, yet again, Brewster was in the right place to score from close range.
This is the third major final an England youth team has reached this year. The England Under-19 side won the European Championships and the Under-20 team won their respective World Cup. The Under-21 side also enjoyed success in their European Championship campaign but lost in the semi-final.
England U17 line-up Curtis Anderson; Steven Sessegnon (Timothy Eyoma 69)’, Joel Latibeaudiere, Marc Guehi, Jonathan Panzo; George McEachran, Oakley-Boothe, Philip Foden (Nya Kirby 86’), Morgan Gibbs-White (Emile Smith-Rowe 67’), Callum Hudson-Odoi; Rhian Brewster.
Unused substitutes: William Crellin, Josef Bursik, Lewis Gibson, Angel Gomes, Daniel Loader.
Suspended: Conor Gallagher
Withdrawn: Jadon Sancho.
