During this international break, several Stoke City players are representing their national teams in highly competitive tournaments across their continents. Among them, three players are competing at the highest level with England.
These players, though young, have shown impressive levels of performance with England U20. After a competitive draw against Turkey U20, Stoke City’s players will now face Romania U20 in the group stage of the U20 Elite League in Europe.
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Emre Tezgel, Ashley Phillips, and Tommy Simkin with England U20
Following a thrilling match against Turkey U20, England had the opportunity to see these three Stoke City players in action. Emre Tezgel, despite his young age and coming off the bench, stood out by providing the assist for the equalizer in the 89th minute. Ashley Phillips and Tommy Simkin were also key, with Phillips starting as a central defender and Simkin as the goalkeeper.
On September 10, they will play their second group stage match against Romania U20, a team that has yet to earn points after losing their previous game to Germany U20. Both teams will be looking for their first win in the tournament. It is anticipated that the Stoke City players will have significant roles in this match, and it will be important to see if they start.
The performance of Tezgel, Phillips, and Simkin will be crucial as they prepare to return to Stoke City for their match against Oxford United on September 14, an important fixture in the EFL Championship.
Steve Schumacher hopes that all his key players will be at their best to continue accruing points in the standings. Stoke City is currently positioned in the mid-table, and the goal is to reach the top spots to compete for a playoff position and potentially return to the Premier League.