SCOUSE TROOP
Mersey kids echo the boys of ‘66
FOR West Ham in 1966, read Merseyside in 2017.
Hammers fans never tire of saying how Geoff Hurst, Bobby Moore and Martin Peters won England the World Cup.
And tomorrow against Venezuela it will be eight Everton and Liverpool players carrying the country’s hopes in the Under-20s World Cup Final.
Dominic Solanke, who officially becomes a Liverpool player on July 1, and Everton’s Ademola Lookman scored the goals against Italy in the semi-final to take Paul Simpson’s side through to the final in South Korea.
They were ably supported by a Blues trio of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jonjoe Kenny and Kieran Dowell as well as the Reds’ Sheyi Ojo’s telling introduction as a substitute. Everton also had Callum Connolly on the bench against Italy and Liverpool’s Ovie Ejaria, giving the heart of the squad a Merseybeat.
Much praise should be given to Everton under-23 coach David Unsworth (right), who blooded Dowell and Kenny against Norwich in May 2016 while acting as interim boss following Roberto Martinez’s sacking.
Those two, along with Calvert-Lewin and Connolly, were part of Unsworth’s titlewinning under-23s this season.
Although only 19, Lookman skippered the team when he signed from Charlton for £10million in January and has been part of Ronald Koeman’s senior squad since scoring on his debut against Manchester City.
He and Solanke starred against Italy and the latter has agreed to join Liverpool from Chelsea in frustration at a lack of first-team opportunities since making his senior debut aged 17 in the Champions League nearly three years ago.
Calvert-Lewin was glowing in his praise: “Ade was brilliant and Dom excellent as well, but it was the team performance that won us the game against Italy.
“It was an unbelievable performance from the boys and we’re into the World Cup Final.
“It’s what we’ve come here to do. We’re right where we want to be, looking forward to the game and hopefully can go on to win it now.”