Kolkata: With or without star player Jadon Sancho, in-form England start as hot favourites against Asian heavyweights Japan in the Fifa Under-17 World Cuplast-16 clash at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan on Tuesday.
Sancho, a vital cog in England’s free-flowing play throughout the group stages, was only allowed to attend the tournament on condition that he would return to his club, German giants Borussia Dortmund, after the group stages.
The English FA, according to reports, tried to persuade Dortmund bosses to change their stance and let the player stay to hopefully fire England to World Cup glory.
But from what has been on display over the last week, it would be naive to imagine Steve Cooper’s charges struggling against Japan even if Sancho is not available.
“We showed we have 21 players who can start games and make a difference in a tournament at this level which is obviously great.
“It will be difficult to pick the team for the next one but it bodes well that we have got so many players developing from our system and can come away from the World Cup and be better players,” coach Cooper said after their previous 4-0 win against Iraq despite making eight changes to the team that beat Mexico 3-2.
Barring Stoke City goalkeeper Josef Bursik, England have used all of their 20 players in three games underlining the depth in their ranks.
The only chink in the Europeans’ armour has been their defence with the backline of Timothy Eyoma, Joel Latibeaudiere, Marc Guehi and Jonathan Panzo unlocked in the space of few minutes by Mexico’s Diego Lainez.
The Yoshiro Moriyama-coached Japan gave a poor account of themselves in their last group engagement, drawing 1-1 with minnows New Caledonia who until then had shipped a dozen goals in two matches.
