Dowell fires England into last 16 of U20 World Cup

Friday, 26 May, 2017 20comments  |  Jump to most recent
Everton U23s winger Kieran Dowell scored the only goal as England progressed to the next round of the Under-20 World Cup in South Korea.

Dowell converted from his Blues team-mate Jonjoe Kenny's cross to defeat the hosts and ensure that England topped Group A.  



Reader Comments (20)

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David Currie
1 Posted 27/05/2017 at 03:17:31
Kenny was outstanding and should be our right back for the start of the season. Has great energy and always a threat going forward.

Great assist for Dowell's superb goal. Defensively good and looks a real talent.

Dowell and Lookman also showed moments of class.
William Cartwright
2 Posted 27/05/2017 at 04:17:30
Saw the highlights on YouTube last night. Spectacular goal in the skill of both the build up and the execution by two extremely talented young Evertonians. Future looks bright. Not so sure about the present.

Jonjoe Kenny should break through this next season. Dowell and Walsh may be able to as well or go on loan to the Championship.

COYB

David Currie
3 Posted 27/05/2017 at 04:19:37
Kenny was outstanding and should start the season as first-choice right -back. He has great energy and a real threat going forward; great assist for Dowell's goal. Looks quality; he also did well as a sub in the Swansea game.
James Watts
4 Posted 27/05/2017 at 04:29:41
Having watched most of the game, absolutely spot on about Kenny. Looked a class above this level. Be great to see him given a run a la Davies.

Thought Dowell looked good too and, if they both carry on progressing as they are, we will have two real gems on our hands.

Kieran Fitzgerald
6 Posted 27/05/2017 at 06:03:20
I think this tournament has come at just the right time, both for the Everton players involved and the club.

I read an interview with Paul Simpson on Football365.com and the coaching staff are putting development and the experience of the tournament first with the squad. It read like the Everton players involved are going to come back better players for the experience.

Simpson also highlighted how the clubs have bought into this tournament when they haven't in the past and have allowed a lot of their better young players to go. The fact that Everton allowed five players selected to go makes it look that we are continuing to take youth development seriously. Calvert-Lewin, Lookman, and to a lesser extent Dowell and Kenny have all been involved in the senior squad this season and it would have been easy for the club to look to hang on to them. We could have stated that it was a long season and we wanted the players to have a rest before pre-season.

Dowell and Kenny have played well, in competitive games, in a tournament, and have put themselves in the frame for a place in the Everton squad for next season. Calvert-Lewin and Lookman have also been given game time and will benefit in the same way. The club will benefit from this as all we will have to do is bring the players back that bit later for pre-season. Their fitness levels aren't going to be affected and they will be highly motivated anyway.


Trevor Lynes
7 Posted 27/05/2017 at 07:36:33
Let's hope that two or three come through and make the first team. The new players we are linked with are not inspiring so far.

The Soton surplus fullback plus an over the top Rooney and a mediocre class Deeney are not going to improve the current squad. They will be taking up valuable bench room at the expense of promising youngsters who may surprise us all.

William Cartwright
8 Posted 27/05/2017 at 08:03:11
Winning the U23s Premier League 2 should not have drained the players. At that age, it should have whetted their appetite! Also should have given them an opportunity to taste success and we know what that breeds...

If the squad next season is a mix of selected additions (narks with quality, experience, and a winning attitude), current quality on the squad (Coleman, Gueye, Schneiderlin, Holgate, Davis, Romelu?, Mirallas?, Baines), a top goalie, (Hart?), and some excellent stepper uppers from the U23s (Kenny – surely, Walsh, Dowell, Pennington, Browning etc.) then we should be in a good shape.

The real focus within the squad building must be the play-maker and the link-up between creative midfield and the finisher(s). Looks likely to be Rooney. This could be a real backward step or a masterstroke. A gamble should be worth taking...

The window should be very interesting including for Steve Walsh's reputation for unearthing gems. No space for Ross – looks like he is a gonner. Great shame that he never was tried as a free range out-and-out attacker. I would have loved to have seen him in that role.

COYB

Dave Williams
9 Posted 27/05/2017 at 09:06:35
If Ron starts the season with Kenny, I could see him in the full England squad very quickly. Looks total class with the desire to go with speed, skill and both attacking and defensive ability.
Clive Rogers
11 Posted 27/05/2017 at 10:22:44
Well done blue boys. See you in the first team.
Barry Pearce
12 Posted 27/05/2017 at 10:51:12
I think a lot of subscribershave known Kenny was a great prospect. Ever since he played a major part in winning the Under-17s World Cup with England. Alongside Ryan Ledson, who's now sadly with Oxford United. Let's hope Jonjoe's career remains with us.
Paul Thompson
13 Posted 27/05/2017 at 10:57:16
This was a very good preformance against the hosts. Short highlights here:

Kenny has now been MotM in two out of the three games. From the highlights, Lookman also looked lively and was unlucky not to score.

Phil Jeffries
14 Posted 27/05/2017 at 14:39:26
I would love Koeman to confirm that he has taken faith with the kids and won't be bringing in 'squad' players just to make up the numbers.

Dowell for me is a great talent with a quality left foot, but I'm not sure he has what Koeman wants in a midfielder. Hope I'm wrong as I'd love to see the kid exposed to Premier League minutes next season. As for Kenny... looks the real deal. As does Lookman.

David Pearl
15 Posted 28/05/2017 at 01:56:10
If Kenny, Davies, Barkley and Rooney are all in the starting 11 for the first game next season... that would make me very happy.
Bob Parrington
16 Posted 28/05/2017 at 10:15:33
Phil, IMO you are right. Let's not waste transfer fees and wages on players to sit on the bench when we have some ready made (almost) starters from the youngsters.

Geoff Lambert
17 Posted 28/05/2017 at 10:27:34
You wont win anything with kids!!!!
Gary Edwards
18 Posted 28/05/2017 at 14:07:14
Being fortunate enough to have watched a lot of U23 games over the past 2 seasons, I've been banging the drum for a while for the inclusion of some of these lads in the 1st XI squad / team.

Kenny is long due the recognition he is getting lately, proper skipper too. Good to see Dowell impress, he is an undoubted talent, just needs more industry.

There are others too, potentially more impressive. I can't wait to watch Robinson at Goodison Park, bombing down the left (Leighton who ?). Harry Charsley and Liam Walsh both provide lots of progressive energy in midfield. I'm not so sure about the strikers we have on the books, for power and pace I hope we get Donkor back. Niasse also played well with the U23s before his loan to Hull.

The lads mentioned above, a top goalie, a decent striker, a monster of a centre-back and a world class # 10 combined with the current squad minus deadwood / want-aways and I would say we have the makings of a team capable of pushing for a Champions League spot next season.

Mike Gaynes
19 Posted 29/05/2017 at 00:51:28
Lookman looked fabulous in the highlights (thanks Paul Thompson)... two cracks off the post.

I got so tired of calling for him late in the season that I developed carpal tongue syndrome, but hopefully this kind of performance will give him the confidence to break into the first team more often. He's the real deal.

Love what I saw of Kenny going forward, but I'll reserve judgement until I see him play defense.

Clive Rogers
20 Posted 29/05/2017 at 10:33:09
Watched the U23 game vs Saints at Goodison Park and Dowell stood out for me. His passing and awareness were superb and he scored a cracking goal. If he can up his workrate, he could be a gem.
Brian Williams
21 Posted 31/05/2017 at 14:19:14
And now it's Ademola's turn. Scored two to put England into the quarters.
Gordon Crawford
22 Posted 31/05/2017 at 14:29:29
Well done to the young blues playing in the tournament. Maybe next season they will be getting more first team games. :)

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