Karamoko Dembele suffered a night of frustration as England’s u-17 side lost 3-1 to Denmark at Alfreton Town’s Impact Arena.
The young Celt was in among team-mates from Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Bayern Munich but they weren’t strong enough for the Danes in the friendly arranged ahead of European Championship qualifiers.
England were trailing 3-0 early in the second half but the FA website noted:
The impressive Karamoko Dembele was inches away from getting a goal back and Richardson volleyed wide as England’s frustration continued.
Dembele is in his third season as part of the English international set up after playing for Scotland earlier on in his career.
England face the Czech Republic on Tuesday hoping to make up for the defeat against Denmark with Dembele clearly back to full fitness after being out for more than a month at the start of the season with a leg injury.
Fellow Celt, Tobi Oluwayemi, signed in the summer from Spurs was an unused substitute.
England: 1 Coniah Boyce-Clarke (Reading), 2 Nohan Kenneh (Leeds United), 5 CJ Egan-Riley (Manchester City), 12 Luke Badley-Morgan (Chelsea), 3 James Norris (Liverpool), 4 Charlie Patino (Arsenal), 8 Xavier Simons (Chelsea), 10 Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), 7 Karamoko Dembele (Celtic), 9 Lewis Dobbin (Everton), 19 Lewis Richardson (Burnley)
Substitutes: 23 Alex Robertson (Manchester City) for Simons 46, 11 Louie Barry (Barcelona) for Richardson 68, 14 Amadou Diallo (West Ham) for Patino 68, 15 Daniel Oyegoke (Arsenal) for Kenneh 78, 20 Rico Richards (West Bromwich Albion) for Dembele 78
Substitutes not used: 6 Levi Colwill (Chelsea), 13 Tobi Oluwayemi (Celtic), 16 Zane Monlouis (Arsenal), 17 William Fish (Manchester United), 18 Aaron Ramsey (Aston Villa), 21 Tyler Onyango (Everton)
