Italy take on England on Thursday at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium in the semi-finals of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup.
 

Revenge is in the air for the English players who were eliminated in the European Championships at Under-19 level by the Italians 12 months ago and many of the players that took part in that game, will face each other once again in Korea tomorrow.
 

In that game in 2016, England were undone by a late goal from Inter left-back Federico Dimarco and ironically, it was his late equaliser against Zambia in the quarter-final that took the game into extra-time and which eventually saw 10-man Italy prevail.
 

Dimarco is one of the players the Three Lions must be careful of in Jeonju as is striker Riccardo Orsolini, the Juventus owned player who currently plies his trade at Serie B side Ascoli. The youngster has already fired in four goals in the tournament including his country’s opener against Zambia.

England does have some firepower of its own however, with newly signed Liverpool striker Domenic Solanke leading the line with two goals in the competition. England boss Paul Simpson is also expected to tighten things up a little in the absence of Josh Onomah who was sent off in the quarter-final against Mexico.

Watch out for Bournemouth midfielder Lewis Cook’s dynamic runs from midfield and Everton frontman Ademola Lookman supporting Solanke in attack as England try for a place in the final for the first time ever.



Steve Mitchell