Report: England WU17s 3-2 Sweden

England women’s under-17s kicked-off their UEFA EURO U17 second qualifying round with a 3-2 win over Sweden on Friday evening.

The Young Lionesses played their first of three games in Finland, with the aim of finishing top of the group to seal a place at May’s U17 EURO Finals in the Faroe Islands.

And they made the ideal start, as interim head coach Remi Allen’s side ran out as deserved winners at the Veritas Stadium.

They had to show their character at both ends of the game too, after being dealt an early blow when Sweden took the lead just four minutes in when Thelma Persson Welin opened the scoring.

But England hit back and when Vera Jones was tripped in the box, they were awarded a penalty which captain Zara Bailey stepped up to fire home and bring the scores level in the 18th minute.

Freya Hirons then put England ahead in the 36th minute, reacting quickly after her initial header came crashing back off the crossbar to tuck away past Sweden ‘keeper Karlsson.

And with half time just a few minutes away, England almost had a third as Isabel Hebard saw an effort hit the woodwork.

With the second half less than ten minutes underway, England found their third goal as Jones expertly curled home a fine finish into the top corner to provide a two-goal cushion.

It proved to be a vital goal too, as Sweden pulled a goal back in the second minute of stoppage time when Filippa Andersen Widen made it 3-2 but it was too little, too late as the Lionesses held firm to secure the points.

England will be back in action on Monday 17 March (11.30am GMT) when they face the Netherlands in their second game, before the third and final match against group hosts Finland takes place on Thursday 20 March (11.30am GMT).

England: 1 Silvana Marshall Miranda (Brighton & Hove Albion), 2 Sacha Lewis (Manchester City / Derby County), 3 Chloe Sarwie (Chelsea), 4 May Cruft (Rangers), 5 Niamh Peacock (Arsenal), 6 Zara Bailey (Tottenham Hotspur) (c), 7 Isabel Hebard (Bristol City), 8 Eva Forster (North Carolina Courage), 9 Freya Hirons (Aston Villa), 10 Vera Jones (Chelsea), 11 Jane Oboavwoduo (Manchester City)

Substitutes: 17 Jhanaie Pierre (Tottenham Hotspur) for Jones 62, 20 Eva Hendle (Chelsea) for Lewis 62, 19 Natasha Udebhulu (Southampton) for Hirons 76, 14 Isabelle Sullivan (Chelsea) for Forster 82

Substitutes not used: 12 Elise Christian (Chelsea), 13 Hope McSheffrey (Arsenal), 15 Isabella Cowley (Chelsea), 16 Lucy Day (Birmingham City), 18 Evie McCaffrey (Manchester City / Derby County)

Interim head coach: Remi Allen

Goals: Zara Bailey (pen) 18, Freya Hirons 36, Vera Jones 54