Under-17 World Cup: Curtis Anderson seals England’s penalty win over Japan

Manchester City’s goalkeeper Curtis Anderson was the hero for England as they booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Under-17 World Cup in India after beating Japan 5-3 on penalties.

After England failed to find a breakthrough during normal time despite controlling most of the match in Kolkata, the first five penalties were all converted, with England leading 3-2, before Anderson saved from Japan’s Hinata Kida. The 17-year-old then stepped up to make it 4-2 before Crystal Palace’s Nya Kirby ensured Mark Cooper’s side will face USA in the last eight in Goa on Saturday.

Having topped their group with three wins out of three, England went into the game as strong favourites despite the absence of Jadon Sancho, who was recalled by his club Borussia Dortmund.

Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster was the main threat going forward, creating a number of early chances in the first half and hitting the post with a shot from a tight angle in the 25th minute.

Japan came back into the match after the break with Takefusa Kubo impressive in attack, although England could easily have won it in the closing stages when both Emile Smith-Rowe and Josef Bursik went close.

That ensured the match went to penalties – a familiar situation for Cooper’s side having lost the final of the European Under-17 Championship in May to Spain by that method. But Anderson held his nerve to keep alive England’s hopes of making it two global age-group titles in four months following the Under-20s’ success.

They will fancy their chances of reaching the last four against a US side who only qualified for the knockout stages as one of four best third-placed teams but thrashed Paraguay 5-0 in the last-16 thanks to a hat-trick from George Weah’s son, Timothy. Mali are also through to the quarter-finals after beating Iraq 5-1 and they will face the winners of Wednesday’s meeting between Ghana and Niger.