Luke Williams became the first Boro player to score an England Under-20 World Cup goal since Jamie Pollock achieved the feat in 1993.
The 20-year-old from Grangetown drilled home a 55th minute shot to put Peter Taylor’s side 2-0 up against Iraq in their opening Group E fixture at the Akdeniz University Stadium, Antalya, in Turkey, last night.
Conor Coady had earlier headed England into a 1-0 lead and the win looked a safe bet after Williams scored but Ali Faez pulled one back from the spot with 15 minutes to go and Ali Adnan equalised in stoppage point.
Taylor admitted his side’s defending let them down.
“I was very pleased with the way that we started and pleased to score from a set-piece but we needed to do more of the same,” he told the FA.com.
“In the second half, we got another goal but didn’t defend as well as I would’ve liked. We can definitely do better, we’re disappointed with the very late goal.”
Stockton-born Pollock scored his goal in a 2-1 defeat to Ghana in the 1993 Under-20 World Cup, which was staged in Australia.
That squad included future Boro signing Nicky Barmby plus Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt as well as Chris Bart-Williams and David Unsworth.
England U-20:Sam Johnstone, Daniel Potts, Jon Flanagan, Eric Dier, Conor Coady, James Ward-Prowse, Harry Kane, Jamaal Lascelles, Luke Williams (Chris Long 69), John Lundstram (Adam Reach 69), Ross Barkley (Gael Bigirimana 89).
