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SEOUL. – Paul Simpson has urged his England Under-20s to write their names into the history books after becoming the first men’s team from these shores to reach a World Cup final since 1966. England play Venezuela in Sunday’s World Cup final after they came from behind to beat Italy 3-1 in the semi-finals in South Korea yesterday.

Dominic Solanke scored either side of Ademola Lookman’s simple strike to propel Simpson’s side into the final, with all three of their goals coming in the final 25 minutes.

Not since Sir Alf Ramsey’s side beat West Germany at the old Wembley 51 years ago have England had a team in a major global final.

“It’s a dream to take a team to a World Cup final,” Simpson, the England Under-20s manager, said.

“I was born in 1966 and that was the last time we did it. We’re delighted to be in it and I’ve said from the first day I am greedy and I want to go and win the final. I don’t just want to make the numbers up, I want to go and win it.

“We always thought we had a chance to go to the final. We’ve achieved that, but really we’ve achieved nothing yet because we have to go and win and put our name into the history books of English football.”

England have never previously reached the World Cup final at this level and their best finish in this competition had been third in 1993, but now they have a chance to be crowned world champions in Suwon on Sunday against Venezuela, who had earlier prevailed on penalties against Uruguay in the other semi-final.

Venezuela trailed to a 49th-minute penalty before Samuel Sosa equalised in added time, then won the shoot-out 4-3 after a goalless extra time.

“I was seeing the clock in the stadium saying 88, 89 minutes, and I never had the thought that we could lose this match. They have more history but we as a group, as a family, have built a great mentality to play in these games,’’ Venezuela’s Ronald Hernandez said.

The spine of this England group has been neatly blossoming for some time.

Freddie Woodman, Jonjoe Kenny, Lewis Cook, the captain, and Solanke helped England to the Under-17s European Championship title in Malta three years ago and last year they formed the nucleus of the team beaten by Italy in the semi-finals of the Under-19s European Championship.

England started brightly in Jeonju, earning an early corner after a surging Kenny run, but moments later they found themselves on the back foot and trailing.

When Cook, the Bournemouth midfielder, was penalised for a handball on the halfway line, Italy took England by surprise with a quick free-kick.

Andrea Favilli lost his marker, Fikayo Tomori, and the Ascoli striker unselfishly picked out his club-mate and strike-partner, Riccardo Orsolini, who fired his curling first-time effort beyond the England goalkeeper Woodman.

Italy, though, failed to build upon their promising start and instead retreated deeper and deeper, happy to soak up England pressure.

There was, however, only so long they could suffocate England’s attacking talents. – The Guardian.