Chelsea academy graduates Fikayo Tomori, Dominic Solanke and Jake Clarke-Salter played the full 90 in England’s 3-0 win over Argentina in the U-20 World Cup. Solanke scored the final goal, while Tomori played a supporting role in a football “first.”
England’s Young Lions opened their U-20 World Cup campaign with a 3-0 win against Argentina. Trailing 2-0 in the 78′, Argentina went down to 10 men after Lautaro Martinez elbowed Fikayo Tomori in the head.
The referee did not initially see the incident. After reviewing the play with the Video Assistant Referee, though, he showed Martinez a straight red card. This was only the second time a video review was used in a FIFA tournament, and the first in an international match.
Two minutes into stoppage time, a poor challenge by the Argentine goalkeeper resulted in a penalty kick for England. Dominic Solanke slotted it home perhaps a bit too coolly, as it narrowly went past the keeper for England’s third goal. Solanke’s goal sealed England’s first U-20 World Cup win since 1997.
In other Chelsea youth news, Mason Mount is a finalist for the Premier League 2 Player of the Year. Mount spent most of his season with the PL2 and U21 sides, but also made 12 appearances with the U18’s. Several of the other nominees have already made their senior debuts in either cup competitions or the Premier League itself.
Mount scored 10 goals in all competitions, and captained the U-18’s to their fourth consecutive FA Youth Cup title. It was his second victory in the competition, to which he also added a U-18 Premier League championship.
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Mount signed a professional contract with Chelsea that will keep him with the Blues until 2021. At age 18, he will likely play next season with the PL2 squad. He will then begin the requisite series of loans that will hopefully return him to Chelsea ready for the first team.