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Match report from England MU20 versus Italy
The Spurs youngster was not to be denied midway through the half when Chukwuemeka passed to Dane Scarlett on the left wing and his fine low cross was volleyed expertly in by his club team-mate Devine.
Italy enjoyed more of the possession but a relatively tame Baldanzi shot, which was easily held by Cox, was the only other chance of note in the opening period.
There was a moment of panic for England early into the second half when Italy captain Casadei was picked out inside the penalty area. But the Chelsea midfielder dragged his left-footed strike wide of the goal and was subsequently flagged for offside anyway.
Casadei and Matteo Prati had strikes blocked soon after as the Italian pressure started to build, although England did look to carry a threat on the counter-attack.
The double substitution of Darko Gyabi and Daniel Oyegoke just after the hour mark added fresh impetus for the Young Lions, as they soon earned a corner which Quansah headed over.
England almost went ahead with 20 minutes remaining when the classy Alex Scott curled a ball into the penalty box and Italy goalkeeper Sebastiano Desplanches and Gabriele Guarino were unable to intercept, leaving the ball to roll goalwards. For a moment it looked as though Scarlett would hook the ball in but with the angle tight, he laid it back to Devine and his shot was sliced wayward.
The Young Lions thought they should have had a penalty moments later when Chukwuemeka went down but after a VAR check, the referee once again waved away the appeal.
Italy had their own VAR check with eight minutes remaining when a powerful shot struck Quansah. And despite the defender turning his body away from the ball and making no movement towards the ball, after visiting the pitchside screen, Brazilian referee Abatti pointed to the spot, with Casadei dispatching the subsequent spot-kick.
There was to be 11 minutes of injury-time but despite plenty of endeavour, England were unable to find the equaliser.
England: 1 Matthew Cox (Brentford), 2 Brooke Norton-Cuffy (Coventry City, loan from Arsenal), 4 Alex Scott (Bristol City), 5 Bashir Humphreys (Chelsea), 6 Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), 7 Alfie Devine (Tottenham Hotspur), 9 Dane Scarlett (Tottenham Hotspur), 10 Carney Chukwuemeka (Chelsea), 11 Harvey Vale (Chelsea) (c), 15 Ronnie Edwards (Peterborough United), 18 Mateo Joseph (Leeds United)
Substitutes: 21 Daniel Oyegoke (Brentford) for Norton-Cuffy 62’, 14 Darko Gyabi (Leeds United) for Joseph 62’, 19 Liam Delap (Manchester City) for Quansah 90+7’, 3 Callum Doyle (Coventry City, loan from Manchester City) for Humphreys 90+8’, 17 Sam Edozie (Southampton) for Vale 90+8’
Substitutes not used: 12 James Beadle (Brighton & Hove Albion), 13 Teddy Sharman-Lowe (Chelsea), 8 Xavier Simons (Hull City), 16 Imari Hines-Samuels (Brighton & Hove Albion), 20 Daniel Jebbison (Sheffield United)
Head coach: Ian Foster
Goals: Alfie Devine 24’
