Merseyside fired England into the Under-20s World Cup final for the first time as the Young Lions defeated Italy 3-1 with a double from Liverpool new body Dominic Solanke and strike by Everton’s Ademola Lookman.
The Italians took the lead just two minutes in as Riccardo Orsolini scored his fifth goal of the tournament.
A long afternoon appeared to be in store for Paul Simpson’s side as they still trailed at the break but Solanke – who will officially join the Reds on July 1 – netted a deserved equaliser on 68 minutes with a goal made in Merseyside.
Everton right-back Jonjo Kenny fed Liverpool’s Sheyi Ojo – who had replaced Blues midfielder Kieran Dowell on 54 minutes – got Dimarco one-on-one, dropped a shoulder and worked himself half a yard, before whipping to the six-yard box.
Zaccagno dived to his right to palm the ball away, but he succeeded only in finding Solanke, who volleyed into the unguarded net.
With just 11 minutes remaining, England took the lead through Lookman.
Ojo lofted a cross into the box, for which Solanke challenged but couldn’t quite get to. The ball dropped on the edge of the six-yard and Lookman reacted quickest to slam home.
Solanke then settled any remaining nerves with a third goal in the 88th minute as he smashed an unstoppable drive into the net from 25 yards out.
England, who also had Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin in their side, will now face Venezuela, who defeated South American rivals Uruguay in the other semi-final, in Sunday’s final in Suwon.
