3 Arsenal players start as England u17 reach Women World Cup semi-finals | OneFootball

The young Lionesses have made it through to the semi-finals of the u17 World Cup, defeating Japan 4-1 on penalties after an intense 2-2 draw.

England came from behind twice against an excellent opponent and were resilient throughout the game.

The England manager made a big call at the end of the injury time by subbing in the only player from of the 21-player squad who had not seen any game time so far in the tournament – goalkeeper Rebekah Dowsett.

It was an inspired substitution as England won the penalty shootout 4-1 to set-up a semi-final against Spain, who recently defeated them 4-0 at the u-17 Euros final.

Natalie Henderson selected the following XI: Mc Sheffrey; Las, Shaw, Wellesley-Smith, Maltby; Harbert(c), Parkinson, Cassap; Brown; Jones, Oboavwoduo.

She made four changes from the team that was beaten by Korea DPR.

Three Arsenal players started the game: Harbert, McSheffrey and Wellesley-Smith, with two more coming on as subs during the game in Junaid and Harwood.

Japan took the lead through Aoki, who was sent through on the right wing and hit a ferocious shot past McSheffrey (23).

Parkinson equalised for England after an excellent triangle attack (27). Japan took the lead again after McSheffrey mishandled a cross and Hirakawa scored from close range (29).

Then in the second half Shaw equalised again with a header to tie the game and take it to the penalty shoot-out (72).

In a strange coincidence, England u17 also defeated Japan in the 2008 inaugural u17 WWC at the quarter-finals stage in a penalty shoot-out.

In that squad players like Jordan Nobbs, Rachel Daly, Danielle Carter, Isobel Christiansen, Lucy Bronze alongside Arsenal youngsters like Lauren Bruton, Amy Carr, Sarah Wiltshire and Rachel Pitman.

Let’s hope the 2024 generation will be as succesful as their predecessors.

Spain will be another tough opponent as seen at the Euros, but this England team is capable of great things with a mix of grit determination and offensive talent among them.