Four young Newcastle United stars were included in the latest England Under 18s squad.
The squad competing in the UEFA Friendship Cup in Switzerland during the September and October international window.
The England Under 18s with an initial three group games and a fourth match to decide final placements.
The eight-team tournament is being hosted by UEFA at their base in Nyon.
The opening group match for the England Under 18s was played on Thursday against Colombia in a match which proved to be a five goal thriller.
Three rising young United stars were included in the starting eleven and all of them played key roles in the eventual 3-2 vicory. Inside 12 minutes two of the young Newcastle talents combined for the opening goal. Michael Mills is an 17-year-old winger who NUFC picked up from Port Vale at the age of 14, he netted the opening goal against Colombia and getting the assist was Kyran Thompson. The exciting attacking player turned 17 this month and turned down a contract at Arsenal to move to United. Exciting 17-year-old midfielder Sam Alabi arrived from the bench on 64 minutes as one of three subs and he impressed as he helped England see out the win. However, probably the clear man of the match was Newcastle United’s 16-year-old goalkeeper Roman Dowell making some excellent early saves to prevent Colombia going in front, then across the game in fine form, before then with two minutes to go he made the save of the match to deny Colombia a 3-3 draw.
To give as many players as possible game time, a very different England Under 18s team took on Egypt in the second group game. Newcastle keeper Roman Dowell sitting this one out, whilst the three NUFC outfield players came off the bench in this second group match.
Ryan Kavuma-McQueen gave England a 15th minute lead but a tight game ensued.
A lot of chances at both ends but just when the England Under 18s thought they were going to close out a 1-0 victory, Egypt struck with 79 minutes on the clock.
That goal pushed the opposition into the ascendancy but a superb counter-attack won it for England on 82 minutes. Under the cosh, England youth broke out of defence and Jaydene Greenwood played a through ball, Newcastle United’s Michael Mills had only been on the pitch five minutes and he brilliantly raced clear of the defence before coolly beating the goalkeeper to wrap up the three points.
This means the England Under 18s have already qualified for the UEFA Friendship Cup with a group match still to play.
The England Under 18s will now face Korea Republic at 10am on Wednesday 30 September in that final group match, which will be followed by a semi-final on 3 October, with the opponent and kick-off time to be confirmed following the conclusion of the third group game.
England: 13 Ben Vickery (Manchester City), 12 Jake Wain (Manchester City), 21 Reon Smith (West Ham United), 5 Marlow Barrett (Manchester City), 23, Oliver Wilkinson (Ipswich Town), 6 Tyrese Noubissie (RC Strasbourg), 18 Samuel Alker (Leeds United),15 Hugo De Lisle (Leicester City), 7 Ryan Kavuma-McQueen (Portsmouth, loan from Chelsea), 17 Ajay Tavares (FC Barcelona), 19 Phoenix Offiah (Tottenham Hotspur).
Substitutions: 16 Gabriel Sambou (Chelsea) for Jake Wain 65’, 8 Max Little (Southampton) for Hugo De Lisle 65’, 9 Jashayde Greenwood (Chelsea) for Phoenix Offiah 65’, 11 Kyran Thompson (Newcastle United) for Ayjay Tavares 65’, 3 Calvin Diakite (Chelsea) for Marlow Barrett 77’, 4 Freddie Lawrie (Manchester City) for Reon Smith 77’, 10 Erik Farkas (Liverpool) for Samuel Alker 77’, 20 Sam Alabi (Newcastle United) for Tyrese Noubissie, 14 Michael Mills (Newcastle United) for Ryan Kavuma-McQueen 77’.
Substitutes not used: 1 Roman Dowell (Newcastle United), 2 Oscar Sandiford (Tottenham Hotspur), 23 Oliver Wilkinson (Ipswich Town).
Some great work going on in the younger age levels at Newcastle United, time and resources put into recruiting the best young talent locally and across the UK, as well as from overseas.
There are some great young players with real first team potential for the future and the England Under 18s also the beneficiaries now.