Report: England MU19s 2-1 Bulgaria

Written by:

Thomas Gibson

Read more: England MU19s

England men’s under-19s secured their spot in the elite round of EURO 2025 qualifying by beating Bulgaria this afternoon.

Ethan Nwaneri and Lewis Orford were on the scoresheet as Will Antwi's side came from behind to secure three points and progress to the next stage.

Early into the game, the hosts took the lead through a long-range effort from Adrian Raychev.

England were immediately in search of an equaliser and came close when Jesse Derry’s curled effort forced a good save.

Nwaneri secured his second goal of the campaign to get England back on level terms in the 27th minute, finding the bottom corner from outside the box after linking up with fellow Arsenal player Myles Lewis-Skelly.

And the Young Lions took the lead for the first time in the game just before the break. After Lewis-Skelly's shot was parried by Kehayov, Lewis Orford tapped home from close-range.

After the interval, Antwi’s team controlled the tempo and were inches away from a third goal.

Abbott’s delicate ball over the top found Wheatley through on goal, but with the on-rushing goalkeeper challenging the Manchester United forward, his lobbed effort did not find the target.

Nwaneri was inches away from his second goal of the game on the 60-minute mark, his ambitious effort dragged wide of the far post.

The hosts continued to pose a threat, however England stuck to the task and secured a well-deserved win.

They will now face Belgium on Tuesday 19 November as they look for a third victory this month.

England: 1 Tommy Setford (Arsenal), 2 Joshua Acheampong (Chelsea), 18 Zach Abbott (Nottingham Forest), 12 Joseph Johnson (Luton Town), 14 Jesse Derry (Crystal Palace), 19 Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), 10 Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal), 4 Lewis Orford (West Ham United), 3 Jayden Meghoma (Brentford), 15 Samuel Amo-Ameyaw (Southampton), 9 Ethan Wheatley (Manchester United).

Substitutions: 20 Shumaira Mheuka (Chelsea) for Ethan Wheatley, 7 Kadan Young (Aston Villa) for Samuel Ayo-Ameyaw 73’, Tyrique George (Chelsea) for Derry 87', Trey Nyoni (Liverpool) for Orford 87', 17 Leo Black (Tottenham Hotspur) for Acheampong 92’

Subtitutes not used: 13 Finlay Herrick (West Ham United), 5 Harrison Murray-Campbell (Chelsea), 6 Kiano Dyer (Chelsea), 8 Joshua King (Fulham), 17 Leo Black (Tottenham Hotspur).

Goals: Nwaneri 27’, Orford 45’.

Head coach: Will Antwi