Manchester City youngster Reigan Heskey scored once again as England beat South Korea 2-0 in the FIFA U17 World Cup round of 32 on Saturday afternoon.
Heskey had scored in the Young Lions’ past two games, including a brace in the 3-0 win over Egypt in their final group game.
South Korea had the game’s first chance when Do-Yeon Kim fired over the bar in the third minute.
Louis Page and Luca Williams-Barnett failed to hit the target from England’s first two real chances before goalkeeper Do-hun Park saved the latter’s shot.
Heskey and Bradley Burrowes had two consecutive chances to open the scoring, but could not breach Park’s goal.
The breakthrough came just before the half-hour mark through Jung Hui-seop’s own goal.
Heskey eventually got on the scoresheet in the 35th minute, heading the ball into the net from Burrowes’ perfect cross.
He has now become England’s top scorer in the competition with four goals, overtaking Chelsea’s Chizaram Ezenwata, who scored a hat-trick in the 8-1 thrashing of Haiti.
South Korea pushed for an equaliser before halftime but could not pose any threat to Jack Porter in the England goal.
Chizaram Ezenwata’s header from six yards drifted wide, ensuring England ended the first half on the front foot.
Two minutes after the restart, Porter was called into action for the first time, saving Kim Ji-Woo’s right-footed shot.
It was all England afterwards as Heskey had an effort blocked, while Williams-Barnett and Ezenwata squandered chances to extend England’s advantage.
Six minutes from time, Burrowes was fortunate to avoid a red card, with VAR confirming his initial yellow card was sufficient.
Despite two late attempts from South Korea, England held on to their two-goal cushion. They will now face either Tunisia or Austria in the round of 16.
