- Jan 16, 2006
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Our Development Squad travelled to Lisbon on Wednesday to take part in a friendly match against a young Sporting Lisbon side at the Academia Sporting Puma - regarded as one of the best training facilities in Europe - coming away with a 3-2 victory.
In the bright sunshine it was Sporting who seized the early initiative, and had it not have been for the heroics of goalkeeper Mirko Ranieri, making a string of fine saves, our youngsters could have found themselves with a mountain to climb.
Simon Dawkins had the best of our early chances, first with a glancing header wide from a Harry Kane cross before seeing a deflected effort go just wide of the target following a powerful run.
Sporting then had a strong spell, hitting the woodwork twice and forcing Ranieri into action with a smart save before our lads took the lead against the run of play.
The opening goal came in the 34th minute following good work down the right-hand side from full-back Nathan Byrne who then fired in a cross for Cameron Lancaster to finish from close range.
Ranieri did well to keep us in front but was powerless to stop the eventual equaliser as Sporting were awarded a penalty just before the break. The penalty was duly converted leaving the scores level at half-time.
Having been on the back foot for most of the first half, we came out fighting in the early stages of the second half with Kane going close with two efforts inside the first 10 minutes.
Sporting had the ball in the net in the 58th minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside and shortly after this they struck the woodwork for the third time.
However, it wasn't long before our young side regained the lead as Kane finished a flowing move on 63 minutes following some crisp passing from Tom Carroll and substitute Jesse Waller Lassen.
Having gained some confidence from taking the lead, Tim Sherwood's side were further ahead on 75 minutes when Kudus Oyenuga dispossessed a defender before setting up Kane to grab his second of the match with a tidy finish into the bottom right hand corner.
Both sides then missed one-on-one chances before Sporting pulled another goal back direct from a free-kick in stoppage time, but it wasn't enough.
Team - Ranieri; Byrne, Butcher, Durojaiye, Francis-Angol (Tapping 78); Carroll, Nicholson, Parrett (Oyenuga 35), Lancaster (Waller Lassen 59); Kane; Dawkins.
Unused sub - Miles.
Another good win for the youngsters and another goal for Kane!! the kid cant stop scoring