England hold nerve to beat Japan on penalties

Goalkeeper Curtis Anderson saved a penalty and then scored from the spot as England beat Japan 5-3 on penalties to enter the quarterfinals.

England had lost to Spain in the Euro U17 final in a penalty shootout earlier this year, but they showed tremendous composure on the night as substitute Nya Kirby scored the winning penalty after Curtis Anderson had denied Hinata Kida. It's England's third quarterfinal overall, and their first since 2011.

Rhian Brewster, Rhian Brewster, Philip Foden, Curtis Anderson and Nya Kirby all found the target for England in the shootout.

Having scored 11 goals in the group stages, England sorely missed their leading goal-scorer Jadon Sancho, failing to find the net against a resolute Japan defence during 90 minutes. Callum Hudson-Odoi or Philip Foden both tried to slot into Sancho's position, but struggled to find a clinical finishing touch.

England will travel to Goa to face the US in the quarterfinal on Sunday.

Foden occupied the attacking midfielder's position, and initiated several promising moves, but England's finishing was poor. Their best chance of the first-half came in the 27th minute, when Foden put a through ball to Brewster whose thunderous strike rattled the post.

Japan were more adventurous in the second half, Takefusa Kubo tested Anderson with a powerful left-footed shot in the 69th minute.