U-17 World Cup: Brewster stars as England send Brazil packing

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Kolkata, October 25: Rhian Brewster struck a sensational hat-trick, his second in as many matches, as England defeated pre-tournament favourites Brazil 3-1 to enter their maiden FIFA Under-17 World Cup final.

Brewster, who had scored a hat-trick in his side's 4-1 decimation of the USA in the quarter-finals on Saturday, scored in the 10th, 39th and 77th minutes in front of a partisan crowd of 63,881.

The triple strike took Brewster to seven goals, the highest in the tournament. The Liverpool youth team player has once again shown that he is the best predator on show in the mega-event. This is the first time that a player has scored two hat-tricks in the same edition of a tournament.

England were clearly the better side on Wednesday (October 25) as they did not allow Brazil to impose on them in the match, which was shifted out of Guwahati at the last minute due to poor playing conditions.

England played an open game and had almost equal possession at 46 per cent and their attacking trio of Phil Phoden, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Brewster created a lot of problems for the Brazil defence, exposing their vulnerabilities for the second time after the Germany match.

England had five shots on target while Brazil had nine. But the South American champions were uncharacteristically wayward and showed shyness before the goal at the Salt Lake Stadium.

Consequently, England managed to take the lead in the 10th minute. Callum Hudson-Odoi did a fine job, cutting in from the left flank. His pin-point cross was prodded towards goal by Brewster, who managed to stay onside. Brazil keeper Brazao gloved it away but Brewster sent the ball into the empty net on the rebound to score his fifth goal of the tournament.

Unlike the quarterfinal match against Germany last week, Brazil did not take much time to restore parity as they did it just 11 minutes later.

In the 21st minute, after a neat exchange of passes with Marcos Antonio, Paulinho drilled a low shot, which England keeper could not stop. The rebound went to England center back and captain Joel Latibeaudiere, whose heavy touch gave a lurking Wesley to blast into the open net in a jiffy.

In the 30th minute, a long ball from Vitao found Brenner onside and the England goal in front. But he sent his shot wide after the angle was closed down by the onrushing goalkeeper.

England took the lead again in the 39th minute. After England switched the play nicely to the right, Foden sent a pass inside the Brazil box for an overlapping run for Sessegnon. The Fulham boy got to the byline, managed to get the ball across. Brazil captain Vitao failed to deal with a deflection. Brewster punished it by firing it home from close range.

The second half was a frantic tussle for supremacy and both sides had almost equal number of chances. Brazil had the first decent chance of the second session in the 50th minute and Marcos Antonio's long shot off a Paulinho pass from outside the box was parried by goalkeepr Curtis Anderson.

Four minutes later, it was the turn of England to have a go at the Brazil goal. Hudson-Odoi ran down the right and crossed perfectly for an unmarked Brewster in the centre, but the Liverpool lad headed it over the bar.

At the hour mark, Brazil managed to thread short passes from defence to attack and Paulinho gave the ball onto Brenner who was waiting at the edge of the box. But the resulting shot was again parried away by Anderson.

In 64th minute, Alan split the England centre backs with a wonderful through ball and found the run of Yuri Alberto but the substitute, who came in place of Brenner in 60th minute, could not take the shot under pressure from a defender.

Brewster struck in the 77th minute after substitute Emile Smith Rowe got the better of his marker at the right flank and sent a perfect cross for the Liverpool boy to send the ball crashing to Brazil net.