Youngsters impress on the international stage

BRISTOL Rovers’ young internationals enjoyed a winning weekend in Spain while the Gas’ long wait to return to action continues.

Rovers had a weekend off from League One action after Luca Hoole, Jarell Quansah and Lamare Bogarde were called up to represent their respective countries at youth international level and they had fun in the Marbella sun, all ending up on the winning side.

After keeping a clean sheet in a win over Germany in Manchester on Wednesday, on-loan Liverpool centre-back Quansah kept his place in Ian Foster’s England Under-20s starting XI for the friendly against the United States at the Marbella Football Centre on Saturday as preparations continue for the FIFA U20 World Cup in Indonesia in May. He played a pivotal part in the Young Lions making it back-toback wins, scoring nine minutes into the second half, shortly after the USA had equalised, to put England ahead before Leeds United forward Matteo Joseph sealed a 4-2 victory.

Hoole earned his third Wales Under-21s cap on Sunday, and it was a day to remember for the defender, who played the full 90 minutes and kept a clean sheet against their Scottish counterparts at the Pinatar Arena. It was a 3-0 victory for Matthew Jones’ side, with Bristol City defender Joe Low getting on the scoresheet.

On-loan Aston Villa midfielder Bogarde had represented his country at under-15s, under-16s and under-18s level before this international break and he earned his first cap for Netherlands Under-20s on Saturday, coming on as a late substitute in a 2-1 win over France at the Marbella Football Centre.