Three of West Ham United's up-and-coming Academy of Football prospects were in action for their respective age-group national teams on Thursday.
Patrick Kelly, who is spending the season on loan with Doncaster Rovers in EFL League Two, started for Northern Ireland U21s in a 1-1 draw with Moldova U21s in Turkey’s Antalya Province.
The game at Cornelia Sport Centre in Belek was the Northern Irish’s first of three in a four-team tournament that also features Ukraine U20s and Uzbekistan U21s.
Moldova took the lead in the first half before Rio Oudnie-Morgan of Ipswich Town levelled midway through the second.
The games in Turkey are preparation matches for 2025-27 UEFA European U21 Championship qualifying, where Tommy Wright’s team will be facing Germany, Georgia, Greece, Latvia and Malta in Group F, starting in September.
Airidas Golambeckis and Emeka Adiele each featured as substitutes as England U18s drew 2-2 with Czechia U18s in their first fixture of 2025 at the Estadio de Sao Miguel in Portugal.
Golambeckis played for the final half-hour, having replaced his former West Ham Academy teammate Divine Mukasa, who is now with Manchester City, while Adiele (pictured) came on for Wolverhampton Wanderers' Mateus Mane on 89 minutes.
For defender Golambeckis, this was his fifth cap, while fellow 17-year-old Adiele was playing at U18 level for England for the fourth time.
Southampton pair Moses Sesay and Baylee Dipepa scored the goals for the Young Lions, who will take on France at the Sport Clube Freamunde on Paços de Ferreira on Saturday 22 March at 12noon GMT, and Portugal at the Municipal Stadium Futbol on Tuesday 25 March at 11am GMT.
