England needed a response after chastening 3-0 loss to Venezuela in their opening FIFA U-17 World Cup™ game, and they emphatically delivered one.
Neil Ryan’s side were relentless and clinical in equal measure as they trounced Haiti 8-1 to ignite their Qatar 2025 campaign. The win sets up a crunch final group match against already-qualified Egypt on Monday, in which England know a point will guarantee their place in the knockout phase.
Luca Williams-Barnett scored twice against Haiti, with his second strike a mesmerising individual effort. He explained how England will approach the Egypt showdown.
“We will take a winning mentality into it,” said the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder. “Sometimes you can get a little setback in a big competition like this. I still have 100 percent belief we can win this tournament.”
On the superb goal that completed his brace, Williams-Barnett added: “I felt like when I scored the first, I needed to do something else, because it was kind of a basic goal! The second was like a trademark goal for me, the chop back.”
Chelsea forward Chizaram Ezenwata made a stunning impact after being introduced as a 56th-minute substitute, displaying his ruthless finishing ability to hit a quick-fire hat-trick.
“Coming off the bench, you always want to prove a point,” he said. “To get a hat-trick is a good achievement, but I was so grateful for the team around me. The way we fought and the way we played was brilliant. We’re on a high, and now we will focus on the next game.”
Ezenwata also provided an insight into the atmosphere in the England camp.
“Everything is high intensity,” he said. “You see the coaching staff around us, everyone doing their bit. It’s giving all of us confidence in the changing room.”
On Monday, England will face an Egypt side who have taken four points from their first two matches. Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez insisted the Three Lions will take the game to their opponents.
“We need to be aggressive, be on the front foot, and try to get as many goals as we can,” said the Lyon striker, who also opened his tournament account in the Haiti contest. “Just play, be calm, and score some goals. Hopefully we get the result we want.”
