City’s Joel Ndala scored his third goal at the U17 World Cup, but it couldn’t prevent England exiting the tournament after a 2-1 defeat to Uzbekistan.

After conceding inside four minutes, the 17-year-old forward equalised when he glided into the box and coolly slotted into the net 10 minutes before the Round of 16 clash’s interval.

In total, three of the Club’s representatives in Ryan Garry’s squad started - with Ndala joined in the first XI by Lakyle Samuel and Matty Warhurst before Justin Oboavwoduo entered play in the second half.

Unfortunately, the Asia nation’s youngsters restored their lead with a fine, second-half free-kick which means England are eliminated at the last-16 stage.

Uzbekistan started strongly in Jakarta and deservedly broke the deadlock inside four minutes when Amirbek Saidov netted past Ajax’s Tommy Setford.

Undeterred from conceding the game’s first goal, England looked to strike back immediately and created a number of chances but neither Southampton’s Sam Amo-Ameyaw nor Chelsea’s Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny could find the net.

Garry’s team’s pressure eventually paid dividends, though, when a neat passing move allowed Ndala to break into the box and calmly pass the equaliser into the bottom corner.

The match was finely poised heading into the second half, but Uzbekistan restored their lead 22 minutes after half-time when Lazizbek Mirzaev excellently curled a free-kick home.

England searched for a leveller once again and almost found it when Ndala unleashed a venomous effort from outside the box which crashed off the crossbar.  

However, that would be as close as the Young Lions came to an equaliser as the goal they craved evaded them - meaning their U17 World Cup campaign ended at the first knockout phase.