England have set up a meeting with Italy in the semifinal of the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup following their hard-fought 1-0 win over Mexico at the Cheonan Stadium on Monday.

For the fifth straight game, at least three players of Nigerian descent started for the Young Lions, with manager Paul Simpson naming Chelsea duo Dominic Solanke and Fikayo Tomori, Tottenham's Josh Onomah and Everton's Ademola Lookman in the starting XI to face El Tricolor.

Onomah received the first caution of the game in the 33rd minute for a challenge on Mexico striker Paolo Yrizar.

A couple of minutes away from half time, it was looking promising for England after a patient build-up but just as it appeared they were going to open the scoring the final ball from Solanke let them down.

There were no goals in a cagey first forty-five minutes, with neither goalkeeper seriously tested, though Lookman was bright and lively.

Less than two minutes played in the second half, Mexico left a huge gap at the back which Solanke exploited to fire home from inside the box., his second goal of the tournament.

Onomah had a glorious chance to double the lead but his curler hit the post on 51 minutes, before he received his second yellow card and was sent off in the 72nd minute for making contact on the ankle of a Mexican player.

Paul Simpson's response was to bring on Ovie Ejaria and the tactical substitution saw Lookman replaced.

Mexico piled up the pressure but England were back in their numbers and defended brilliantly to qualify for the last four for the first time since 1993.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : fifa.com