March 23, (THEWILL)- 17-year-old Brazilian phenom Endrick scored a late winner as Brazil beat England 1-0 in an international friendly at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. The future Real Madrid starlet came off the bench to settle a tightly contested match, delighting the travelling Brazilian supporters.
England struggled to create chances throughout the 90 minutes against the talented Brazilian side. Gareth Southgate’s men were lacklustre from the start and failed to truly test the Brazilian defence, despite half-chances for Ollie Watkins and Conor Gallagher in the first half.
Brazil had the better openings, with Vinicius Junior going close twice before Endrick pounced on a rebound in the 80th minute. Jordan Pickford made a fine initial save from Vinicius’ shot, but the teenage substitute reacted quickest to slot home from close range.
The result extends England’s winless run against Brazil to five matches, dating back to 2013. Although key players like Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham were missing through injury from Southgate’s side, the loss provided concerns ahead of Euro 2024 as they struggled against the South Americans on home soil.
Despite the defeat, England remain one of the favourites for Euro 2024 glory next summer. However, Southgate will need to find a solution to breaking down elite opposition like Brazil if they are to end 58 years of hurt.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
