Sunday 8 October 2017 19:26, UK
Jadon Sancho scored twice as England thrashed Chile 4-0 in their opening game of the U17 World Cup in Kolkata.
The Three Lions are regarded as one of the favourites to win the competition after finishing runners-up in the European Championships this summer and they underlined their credentials with an emphatic victory.
Callum Hudson-Odoi got England off to a perfect start by scoring inside the opening five minutes before Sancho scored twice early in the second half. Angel Gomes wrapped up the win late on after Chile had been reduced to 10 men.
Sancho, who joined Borussia Dortmund from Manchester City on transfer deadline day, was involved in the first goal of the game as his weaving run and pass found Chelsea's Hudson-Odoi inside the penalty area and he made no mistake by calmly sliding his shot into the far corner.
England perhaps should have doubled their advantage twice through Rhian Brewster later on in the half as the Liverpool striker missed two good chances after being set up by the impressive George McEachran and then Manchester City's Phil Foden.
Despite controlling the first half, England needed a second goal to assert their dominance and fortunately for them, it arrived just six minutes after the interval through Sancho as he capitalised on a goalkeeper error to score into an empty net after good work from Brewster on the right wing.
Just before the hour mark, Sancho added his second and England's third as he fired an unstoppable low shot into the far corner after McEachran had weaved his way through Chile's defence and laid the ball into his path. It was Sancho's 15th goal in only 17 games for England at this level.
There was more drama to come late on after Chile's goalkeeper Julio Borquez was sent off on 79 minutes after fouling Brewster, resulting in midfielder Branco Provoste going in goal and his first job was to pick the ball out of the net after Manchester United's youngest Premier League debutant Gomes fired a brilliant free-kick beyond him and into the top corner.
