Manchester City F.C.
·20 July 2024
Manchester City F.C.
·20 July 2024
Poppy Pritchard came off the bench to score the only goal of the game as England Under-19s beat France U19s 1-0 and clinch a place in the UEFA Women’s European Championship semi-finals.
The City striker took her tally to four goals in three games to become the competition’s joint top scorer as the young Lionesses look to win only their second ever Euro title.
Pritchard started on the bench – as she did against Serbia in the last game – despite bagging a hat-trick in the opening group match against hosts Lithuania.
She replaced Michelle Agyemang at the start of the second half and was soon in the thick of the action.
The 19-year-old former Durham forward clipped a clever angled drive inches over the bar on 65 minutes and went even close seven minutes later with a fizzing low drive from the left that keeper Hernandez did well to tip around the post.
Pritchard, looking a constant threat for England with her runs in behind, made no mistake with her third effort.
Liverpool’s Mia Enderby spotted Pritchard’s run through the middle and the City youngster took the ball in her stride before chopping inside of a perusing French defender and firing a rising drive into the top left corner.
The French, who entered the game already guaranteed a semi-final spot, offered little in the way of a response as England saw out the remaining minutes comfortably to end as group winners.
England and France will have to wait until tomorrow’s fixtures are complete to learn their semi-final opponents.