England U18s pulled off a remarkable victory over a highly rated Germany side, coming from behind to win in Rotherham.nnNeil Dewsnip's side ...
England U18s pulled off a remarkable victory over a highly rated Germany side, coming from behind to win in Rotherham.nnNeil Dewsnip's side dominated the first half but suffered the consequences of a rare lapse when Patrick Pflucke stole in to score from close range.nnBut two second-half substitutes, Dean Rittenberg - with his first touch - and Harry Winks, delivered the goals to send a 9,119 crowd into rapture.nnNew York is such a great city that they named it twice, but Rotherham's New York Stadium might just be half as good, and looked resplendent in the springtime sunshine ahead of kick-off.nnIt took its name from Rotherham's old Guest and Chrimes Foundry, which made the distinctive fire hydrants dotted around the Big Apple.nnDewsnip set up his side with a strong core, building on the speed and reliability of MK Dons's Brendan Galloway and Reading's Robert Dickie at centre-half, with Alex Gilliead and skipper Bryn Morris providing the steel in midfield.nnThe Young Lions head coach fielded Tottenham's Nathan Oduwa, normally a powerfully built and skilful winger, behind target man Bradley Fewster. And Oduwa carried the main threat, shifting the ball from foot to foot and possessing the strength to drift clear of his markers.nnNevertheless the match started quietly, even if the play was crisp and easy on the eye, and it was not until the 15th minute when the first shot was fired.nnOduwa slipped his man and teed up Ryan Kent, who had drifted in off the right wing. Kent's shot was well-placed but Marius Funk saved easily.nnMinutes later Arlen Birch did well to intercept a Germany pass and broke through free down the right flank. The Everton right-back's cross was well-directed but too firm for Fewster, who could only bundle the ball into Funk's grasp.nnEngland came close to hitting back almost immediately after, with Birch picking out Kent with a chipped through-ball, and Oduwa bringing down a crisp pass into the centre. He made space to shoot but fired over the stanchion from 15 yards out.nnThe home side looked to be meandering through the second half when on 74 minutes Dewsnip made the changes that turned the game.nnRittenberg came on for Branden Barker on the left flank and Reece Burke replaced Birch.nnThe Blackburn man dashed in from the left flank left his marker for dead, flicking his header into the far corner.nnHe then laid on the second, crossing for Winks. The substitute shot firmly enough, and a desperate block served only to deflect the ball past Funk.nnFewster then came close to adding a third, as England rounded off their U18 campaign with an outstanding victory.nnEngland Under-18 (4-2-3-1): 1 Ted Smith (Southend United); Arlen Birch (Everton), 2 Ashley Smith-Brown (Man City), 5 Robert Dickie (Reading), 6 Brendan Galloway (MK Dons); 4 Bryn Morris (C; Middlesborough), 8 Alex Gilliead (Newcastle Utd); 7 Ryan Kent (Liverpool), 10 Nathan Oduwa (Tottenham), 11 Branden Barker (Man City); 9 Bradley Fewster (Middlesborough).nnSubstitutes: 16 Harry Winks (Tottenham) on for Gilliead 66, 15 Reece Burke (West Ham) on for Birch 74, 17 Dean Rittenberg (Blackburn Rovers) on for Barker 74, 12 Reece Brown (Birmingham City) on for Oduwa, 87; 14 William Miller (Tottenham) on for Kent 87.nnSubstitutes not used: 13 Callum Burton (GK; Shrewsbury).nnGoals: Rittenberg 65, Winks 82.nnHead coach: Neil DewsnipnnGermany (4-4-2): 1 Marius Funk; 2 Yanni Regasel, 4 Steffen Nkansah, 5 Jonas Fohrenbach, 3 Fohrenbach; 7 Lucas Cueto, 8 Marti Risti (C), 11 Boubacar Barry; 9 Sinan Kurt, 10 Patrick Pflucke.nnSubstitutes: 19 Jannik Dehm (for Regasel, ht), 18 Nadiem Amiri (on for Pflucke, 69), 16 Dominik Kinscher for Cueto.nnSubstitutes not used: 12 Fritz Pflug (GK), 13 Gorkem Ure, 14 Lucas Scholl, 15 Malte Moos, 17 Pierre Fassnacht, 23 Nils Korber.nnGoals: Pflucke 38nnHead coach: Horst HrubeschnnReferee: David WebbnnTo find out more about the FA visit:nhttp://thefa.comnFollow us on Twitter:nhttp://twitter.com/FAnThe FA Cup on Facebook:nhttp://www.facebook.com/TheFACupnEngland on Facebook:nhttp://www.facebook.com/EnglandTeamnFAWSL on Facebook:nhttp://www.facebook.com/FAWSL Less
