Suliman, Nmecha lead England to Euro U19 final win vs. Portugal

Photo by Levan Verdzeuli/Getty Images

---

England won the European Under-19 Championship title for the first time in their history after beating Portugal 2-1 in Saturday's final in Georgia.

Aston Villa defender Easah Suliman headed the Young Lions in front early in the second half after a free kick Mason Mount had hit the post.

A sliced own-goal from Chelsea right-back Dujon Sterling saw Portugal level before the hour.

Keith Downing's side, though, secured a memorable victory when Manchester City forward Lukas Nmecha swept in after 68 minutes following a powerful run from Mount down the right.

England finished the match with 10 men after Fulham's Tayo Edun collected a second yellow card in the 86th minute, but it was not enough to deny them.

The triumph follows on from England's success at the Under-20 World Cup and Toulon Tournament, while they also reached the final of the European U17 competition and saw the U21s make the semifinals of their European Championships in Poland last month, losing on penalties to Germany.

The opening exchanges at the Tengiz Burjanadze Stadium in Gori were cagey.

Just before the half-hour, Nmecha -- whose stoppage-time goal against the Czech Republic had secured England's place in the final -- got away down the right and fed City team-mate Isaac Buckley-Ricketts who set up Mount, but the Chelsea man saw his shot blocked.

Portugal went close when Domingos Quina, who plays his club football in England at West Ham, dragged a left-foot side wide.

Buckley-Ricketts shot over following a positive run from Nmecha before Ryan Sessegnon pulled a shot across the face of goal.

At the start of the second half, England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale had to be alert when he collected a shot from Mesaque Dju out on the right.

England went ahead in the 50th minute. Midfielder Mount whipped a 25-yard free kick up over the wall, which hit the base of the right-hand post and bounced back into the six-yard box where Suliman nodded it into an empty net.

Portugal, though, were not behind for long. Dju should have equalised when the ball dropped to him at the far post following a corner, but he could only lash his shot high over the crossbar from two yards out.

The equaliser soon followed in the 56th minute. Abdu Conte sent over a deep ball from the left flank, which drifted through towards the far post, where Sterling sliced it past team-mate Ramsdale.

England had grown in confidence during the tournament after topping Group B following a 4-1 win over Germany in Tbilisi and a dramatic victory against the Czechs on Wednesday.

However, Downing's side were in danger of losing their composure as Quina saw his goalbound effort saved.

England slowly regrouped and regained the lead in the 68th minute. Mount burst away down the right and charged into the penalty area before clipping the ball back across to Nmecha, who swept into an unguarded net.

Porto forward Rui Pedro dragged an angled shot wide from the edge of the England box as Portugal sought an equaliser.

England were reduced to 10 men with five minutes left when Edun collected a second caution followed by a red card for a trip on Madi Queta in the centre-circle.

Miguel Luis flashed an angled drive into the side netting and substitute Josh Da Silva, the Arsenal midfielder, cleared a header off the line during five minutes of added time as England held out for victory.