Author Topic: 2015 Under-20 FIFA World Cup Thread. (Read 131858 times)

asylumseeker · « **Reply #660 on:** June 10, 2015, 02:45:16 AM »

Extra time own goal sinks Hungary
By Robert van Royen (The New Zealand Herald).

Serbia needed extra time and an own goal to overcome a spirited Hungarian side in an enthralling round of 16 match at Otago Stadium tonight.

The Serbs, in their first Fifa Under-20 World Cup, advanced to the quarter-finals, where it will meet either the United States or Colombia on Sunday.

It looked like the match was destined to go to penalties, but Serbia got the match-winner courtesy of an own goal by Hungarian defender Attila Talaber.

Locked at 1-1 deep into extra time, Serbian forward Ivan Saponjic fired a cross into the box for teammate Mijat Gacinovic. Talaber attempted to cut off the cross, only for the ball to deflect into his own goal. It was a cruel twist for the Eastern Europeans, which led for a good chunk of the second half and more than played its part in an enthralling match.

Trailing 1-0, it had looked like the highly fancied Serbs and group D champions were going to bow out of the tournament late in the second half, but substitute forward Saponjic found a stoppage time equaliser to send the match into extra time.

Hungary, which advanced from group C with just one win (against Korea DPR) from its three matches, went into the match as the firm underdog. However, it went 1-0 up courtesy of Bence Mervo's goal on the counter-attack. His fifth goal of the tournament came just moments after Serbian forward Filip Jankovic missed a guilt-edged chance to score at the other end.

Jankovic, filling in for the suspended Sergei Milinkovic, who had to sit the game out after receiving a couple of yellow-cards during the group stage, should have scored after Nemanja Antonov put the ball on plate for him. But he miss-hit the ball and Hungarian forward Zsolt Kalmar opened Serbia up on the counter with a strong run into the box, before dragging the ball back for Mervo to blast home.

The Serbs, who botched endless chances through the first 90 minutes, finally found the equaliser in stoppage time through substitute forward Ivan Saponjic. His goal, a powerful header via a corner a kick, was a bitter blow to Hungary, which had done so well to keep the Serbs in check for the majority of the match.

Serbia 2 (Ivan Saponjic, 90+1; Attila Talaber (OG), 118)
Hungary 1 (Bence Mervo, 57)
Extra time: 2-1
Halftime: 0-0

Match Highlights

Deeks · « **Reply #661 on:** June 10, 2015, 05:10:10 AM »

Mali dispatched Ghana 3-0 this morning. And it is not as if Ghana was not trying. Guys these African have touches and movement of the ball. It is just a joy to watch. Ghana was good, but Mali was better. Those 3 goal were gems.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #662 on:** June 10, 2015, 07:41:03 AM »

Ghana-Mali: The quality of the passing was stellar in every respect. The collective movement was better than textbook because so much of it was instinctive and spot on. On both sides, the defending was better than the standard, stereotypical pronouncements on African teams, and the sad thing is ... I only viewed the first half!!! Football!

The history between the teams is a story in itself ... almost as if they were destined to meet. In African qualifying, they were in the same group, and both emerged as the two teams moving on to the subsequent phase. Mali won the group, on the back of a one-nil victory over Ghana. However, when they entered different sides of the bracket, both teams lost and ended up facing each other again. Ghana won that encounter. So going into their game today, both teams were familar with each other. All this chatter about "upset" in the press, rests more on Group Stage performance than on recent history. Beware of the hype.

Quote

The sight of Attila Talaber slumped on the pitch at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium with his head between his legs and sobbing uncontrollably is undoubtedly one of the most moving of the tournament to date. After all, there can be few footballing fates quite as bad in football as scoring a decisive extra-time own goal in a world finals knockout match, especially when your side had come within seconds of victory in normal time. The Hungarian defender’s woe was triggered when he inadvertently sliced an attempted clearance over the head of his keeper Gyorgy Szekely and into the back of the net, gifting Serbia a 2-1 win. So distressed was the unfortunate Talaber that even Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz was moved to console him.

Cry me a river

As far as the Serbia-Hungary match ... as cruel as the outcome is for Hungary, anytime yuh have a defending player completely facing the goal he is defending in that sort of area (he was at the top of the "6"), an own goal is not an "accident".

asylumseeker · « **Reply #663 on:** June 10, 2015, 07:51:36 AM »

USA scrape by Colombia to advance
Daniel Richardson (The New Zealand Herald).

US goalkeeper Zackary Steffen saved a late penalty to help his side through to the quarter-finals of the Fifa Under-20 World Cup following their 1-0 win over Colombia in Wellington tonight.

After American defender Kellyn Perry-Acosta was given a red card for a second booking, Colombia's Jarlan Barrera stepped up to take the spot kick.

But Steffen saved it expertly in the 83rd minute and his side held on with only 10 men to confirm a Sunday quarter-final against Serbia in Albany.

There was a lengthy break in the round of 16 contest after only a few minutes as American forward Bradford Jamieson IV was taken from the field on a stretcher. It looked serious and all precautions were taken after he suffered an awkward fall.

Colombia looked to play the game at a frenetic pace, which often counted against them, as they squandered possession in good positions. US defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, who is in the Tottenham Hotspur academy, also proved tough to get past.

American attackers Gedion Zelalem and Emerson Hyndman were heavily involved during the opening spell of a free-flowing match.

The game threatened to produce a goal for nearly an hour before striker Rubio Rubin, who plays for Dutch club FC Utrecht, finally broke the deadlock with a well-taken strike, which proved the difference.

USA 1 (Rubio Rubin 58)
Colombia 0
Halftime: 0-0

Match Highlights

asylumseeker · « **Reply #664 on:** June 10, 2015, 07:58:44 AM »

Senegal knock out Ukraine in shootout
Michael Burgess (The New Zealand Herald).

Senegal have reached the quarter finals of the Under-20 World Cup, after a dramatic penalty shoot out victory over Ukraine tonight.

Senegal prevailed 3-1 on spot kicks, after the match had ended 1-1 after extra time. The African side will face either Austria or Uzbekistan in the last eight on Sunday.

Ukraine came into this match with the meanest defence in the tournament, the only team to have kept three clean sheets during the group phase. That showed early, as Ukraine dominated possession and territory, with Senegal limited to occasional counter attacks.

However, once Senegal settled it became an even contest, with some entertaining football. The only thing missing was a goal, partly due to the inaccuracy of the final pass but often down to good defending.

The breakthrough finally came in the 70th minute and it was a beauty. A swift Ukraine counter attack culminated with Artem Biesiedin receiving the ball ten metres from goal, on a narrow angle. The midfielder propped back to his right, then sent an unerringly (sic) finish into the far corner of the net.

Much to the delight of the vocal 6,905 crowd, Sidy Sarr equalised for Senegal 13 minutes later, capitalising on a fortunate rebound to slam home. The thrills didn't stop in extra time, with both teams disregarding the usual cautious approach to gamble on a winner and Senegal coming closest in the extra time period.

Ukraine 1 (A. Biesiedin)
Senegal 1 (S. Starr)
Halftime: 0-0

Senegal win 3-1 on penalties

Match Highlights

asylumseeker · « **Reply #665 on:** June 11, 2015, 03:57:38 AM »

Pressha!!! Brazil and Uruguay 2 minutes away from PKs. It has been a slugfest.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #666 on:** June 11, 2015, 04:23:32 AM »

Brazil prevail 5-4 on penalties. Ah feel this loss.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #667 on:** June 11, 2015, 04:35:27 AM »

Uzbekistan oust Austria
Otago Daily Times.

A second-half double from Dostonbek Khamdamov has stunned Austria and seen Uzbekistan advance into the quarter-finals of the Under-20 World Cup.

The Central Asians qualified for the second stage only after beating Fiji in their final group game, but they belied that underwhelming preparation with a professional display against the unbeaten Austrians.

Uzbekistan controlled much of the flow of play in Whangarei and, although they were unable to forge as many opportunities as their opponents, they were far more clinical when they earned a sight of goal. They were also the beneficiaries of some rather generous defence, with both goals perhaps preventable.

The first arrived a couple of minutes into the second spell, when Khamdamov took advantage of an acre of space in the centre of the Austrian backline to latch onto a well-weighted ball over the top and finish calmly past goalkeeper Tino Casali.

And the striker doubled his side's lead 10 minutes later when, after Austria failed to deal with a loose ball in the box, Rustamjon Ashurmatov's shot cannoned off the post and into Khamdamov's path.

Uzbekistan will now tackle Senegal in the quarter-finals and ensure at least one unfancied nation will be among the big guns in the final four.

Khamdamov brace sends Uzbeks into quarters
FIFA.com

A brace by Dostonbek Khamdamov saw Uzbekistan defeat Austria 2-0 and progress into the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Uzbekistan matched the benchmark they set at Turkey 2013 by booking their spot in the last eight, with two goals shortly after the break catching the Europeans cold and seeing Ravshan Khaydarov's side upset the odds.

The first half would not have exhausted anyone's vocabulary of superlatives as neither side brought a great deal of quality to the party. The closest either side came to unsettling the netting was when a curling free-kick from Austria captain Lukas Gugganig was punched clear by Dilshod Khamraev.

Zabikhillo Urinboev saw his goal-bound volley deflected wide just before the break but, besides that, the highlight reel was left wanting. When the sides returned though, the Central Asian side seemed to have discovered a formula for unlocking the Austrian backline.

Two minutes hadn't even passed when Khamdamov latched on to Javokhir Sokhibov's through-ball to slot effortlessly beyond Tino Casali. Ten minutes later he had doubled his tally for the night and Austria, who hadn't been troubled by much more than an awkward corner in the first 45 minutes, looked shell-shocked.

A hopeful up-and-under from Mirjamol Kosimov kept the ball alive following a corner, with superb strength from Rustamjon Ashurmatov seeing him hold off the defence and work space to volley onto the post. Khamdamov then had the simple task of slotting back across goal and the game had been transformed.

But for all the urgency Austria served up in hope of rescuing the game, they produced little. Khamraev was forced into a save by Markus Blutsch, before Jakob Kruezer threatened, but it was not the onslaught that could have been expected. In fact, Uzbekistan looked more likely to extend their lead, but Urinboev blazed over before Khurshid Giyosov forced Casali into a save. With no breakthrough for the Austrian's coming, it ended as a famous win for the Uzbeks.

Match Highlights

asylumseeker · « **Reply #668 on:** June 11, 2015, 04:51:47 AM »

Junior All Whites lose to Portugal
Radio New Zealand News.

The Junior All Whites' historic run was ended by Gelson Martins' brilliant run and shot in the 87th minute.

Substitute Stuart Holthusen equalised for the hosts in the second half, but Martins' cultured outside-of-the boot effort was a deserved match-winner.

"It's disappointing for us, we battled really hard, you know we had some good possession," says New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley.

"It was a good game, we went 1-0 down but the boys stayed in it and second half, we came out and then we got our goal and we had a 10-minute, 15-minute spell when we had a lot of energy and the crowd really got going and got behind us."

"I thought we were good for extra time and attack it from there, y'know the lad's scored a very good goal that's ended up going in off the post, which is a tough one to take."

"It's a good goal from him, and yeah, it's a shame."

Portugal midfielder Raphael Guzzo opened the scoring on 23 minutes when the Benfica midfielder was afforded too much time just inside New Zealand's penalty box.

Holthusen then managed to level the score after 65 minutes.

Portugal go on to play Brazil in the quarter-finals, who edged Uruguay on penalties in New Plymouth, while Germany, who beat Nigeria 1-0 in Christchurch, will play Mali.

Portugal break hosts' hearts
FIFA.com

Gelson Martins of Portugal #18 celebrates scoring his team's second goal of the game.

Hosts New Zealand are out of the FIFA U-20 World Cup but only after giving Portugal a major fright at Hamilton's Waikato Stadium.

The Europeans were ultimately worthy winners and sealed a 2-1 victory and a place in the quarter-finals thanks to a wonderful late goal by Gelson Martins. The Junior All Whites fought bravely, though, and had threatened a shock win of their own after Stuart Holthusen had cancelled out Raphael Guzzo's first-half opener.

Darren Bazeley's team had made a positive start, playing at a high tempo and forcing the Portuguese back, but the superior class of their opponents soon began to tell. With 17 minutes played, the hosts needed Alex Rufer to keep the scoreline blank Tomas found space at a corner and attempted a clever flick towards goal.

Rony Lopes missed a golden chance soon after, firing wide from a promising position inside the box after Riquicho's cross was deflected into his path. But a goal looked to be coming and, sure enough, Portugal made the breakthrough on 24 minutes. Guzzo was the scorer, collecting a pass from Rafa on the left, turning his marker inside the box and bending a right-foot shot into the bottom-right corner for his first goal of the tournament.

Helio Sousa's side were good value for their lead and should have doubled it just after the hour-mark when Andre Silva wasted a terrific opportunity. The normally deadly No9 was just six yards out when he met Guzzo's header across the face of goal, but he somehow diverted the ball over when it seemed certain the net would bulge.

New Zealand looked to be focused on damage limitation at this stage but then, on 64 minutes and completely against the run of play, they found an equaliser. Monty Patterson bustled his way through the heart of the Portugal defence, benefited from a couple of lucky ricochets, and when the ball fell to substitute Stuart Holthusen, he made no mistake with a shot through the legs of Andre Moreira. With a delighted crowd roaring them on, Bazeley's side now had the bit between their teeth, and the goalscorer missed a good chance to cement his hero status, tugging a right foot shot well wide from an unmarked position.

But Portugal slowly recovered their composure and, with three minutes remaining, silenced the Waikato Stadium with a fantastic winning goal. Gelson Martins claimed it, dancing past a couple of weak challenges before curling a brilliant outside-of-the-foot finish just inside the left-hand post from 20 yards.

It was a goal worthy of winning any match and left Portugal to look forward to a quarter-final against either Brazil or Uruguay.

Match Highlights

asylumseeker · « **Reply #669 on:** June 11, 2015, 05:04:41 AM »

Oztunali the matchwinner for Germany
FIFA.com

Levin Oztunali of Germany celebrates his goal

Levin Oztunali’s first half goal was enough to take Germany through to the last eight of the FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015 at the expense of Nigeria.

Ultimately, Frank Wormuth’s side were deserved winners against the Group E runners-up and while the Africans could not be faulted for effort, their inability to create meaningful chances proved to be their undoing.

Prior to the game, it was expected that Germany would attempt to build their attacks by retaining the ball, with Nigeria utilising the counter-attack and that manifested itself during the opening 45 minutes.

Yet for all of the Europeans’ possession, the first real chance of the game came from a set piece. Marc Stendera’s corner from the right was aimed for Stark, but Onyinye Ndidi’s attempted clearance spun narrowly wide of the near post.

The Flying Eagles were looking for an opportunity to break and found one shortly after the quarter-hour when Taiwo Awoniyi broke down the right and delivered a low cross into the box which Saviour Godwin almost reached.

On 19 minutes, Germany took the lead. Stendera’s pressure on Kingsley Sokari led to him stealing the ball just outside the West Africans' box. He found Levin Oztunali at the edge of the area and the grandson of the legendary Uwe Seeler fired home a powerful left-footed shot.

Germany could have – and probably should have - doubled their advantage later in the half, when a cross from their captain Kevin Akpoguma found Hany Mukhtar lurking on the penalty spot. But the ball came off his shoulder and Joshua Enaholo was able to save comfortably.

The Group F winners finished the half strongly as Stendera forced Enaholo into two fine saves from close range.

Stendera was at the heart of things for Germany yet again when the second half commenced. He brought the ball from deep, found Julian Brandt who played the ball to Mukhtar. The Benfica forward elected to shoot rather than play the back to Stendera and he fired tamely wide.

Mukhtar had another good chance on the hour after some great skill from Oztunali down the right, but he wasn’t able to get any real power behind his shot and Enaholo was out to save smartly.

Germany withdrew goalscorer Stendera and Julian Brant midway through the second half and the changes seemed to have more of a positive effect on the Nigerians.

Frank Wormuth’s side soon found themselves camped in their own half, with Success Isaac leading the charge forward, although Marvin Schwabe was not really forced into a save, the Flying Eagles not helped by some poor delivery from set pieces.

Ultimately, the Germans hung on to book a quarter-final clash with Mali and remain in Christchurch, while Nigeria head home.

Nigeria crashes out after Germany defeat
By Tunde Eludini (The Premium Times, Nigeria).

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles are out of the ongoing FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand after they were defeated 1-0 by their German counterparts on Thursday.

A solitary strike in the first half was all that was required by the European champions to progress to the last eight where they will face another African opposition in Mali.

African champions, Nigeria, were very poor to say the least on Thursday as they failed to put up a strong challenge in the Round of 16 clash that took place at the Christchurch Stadium, New Zealand.

Levin Oztunali did the damage which ended the ambition of the Coach Manu Garba team, which had hoped to be the second African team to win the FIFA U20 World Cup after Ghana.

Oztunali’s goal came in the 19th minute when Stendera’s pressure on Kingsley Sokari led to him stealing the ball just outside the box of Nigeria.

He found Levin Oztunali at the edge of the box and the grandson of the legendary Uwe Seeler fired a powerful left-footed shot home.

From then Nigeria were left chasing the game and they were far from looking like they will get the equaliser they needed badly.

While Africa saw her four representatives make it to the Round of 16, only Senegal and Mali are left in the quarter finals to carry the hopes of the continent in the final eight.

Match Highlights

Frank Wormuth, Germany coach
I like Nigeria and they are very good technically, which makes them extremely difficult to play against. We were able to keep the ball under pressure and that was our only chance to break through their defence. In the end, I give congratulations to my team for finding the answer to the problems Nigeria posed us. They deserved the win and I am very impressed with them. I am especially proud of my team's defence today. Of course, our aim is to get to the final in Auckland but to get there we must go step to step and our next step is Mali. The German mentality is to always think this way. I expect Mali to play in quite a similar way to what we saw today from Nigeria.

Manu Garba, Nigeria coach
I believe that our players learnt a lot from this game and a big lesson in general from the tournament. The level at U-20s is far higher than at U-17s and Germany are a very tough and highly tactical team. Our players lost concentration at the crucial moment and this gave the Germans a chance to score. Our goalkeeper played a great game though and may have saved that ball if he had a clear view, but there is nothing we can do now. All my players have been in great form and I am proud of them all. There have been so many unexpected results in this tournament, but one can never predict the winner. I give my thanks to New Zealand for showing love for our team, the people here have made us feel at home.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #670 on:** June 11, 2015, 05:13:14 AM »

Brazil see off Uruguay on penalties
FIFA.com

Brazil scraped into the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup after penalties were needed to see them past Uruguay after two goalless hours of action in New Plymouth.

A Seleção had the better of the game, missing a hatful of chances, but Uruguay defended valiantly, hurling bodies at the ball whenever necessary, and rendering a shootout necessary. Rodrigo Amaral fired over, and with no other penalty missed, the 5-4 scoreline sent the Brazilians into the last eight - and a mouth-watering meeting with Portugal.

There was plenty of energy from both sides, but it largely manifested itself in an intense battle between each penalty area, rather than within them. Gaston Pereiro was La Celesete's principle threat, setting up Jaime Baez to loop a header back across goal that was well claimed by Jean. The Nacional midfielder then combined with Franco Acosta only to see the on-rushing keeper thwart them again.

The closest there was to a goal came from a mistake from the usually reliable Gaston Guruceaga after Judivan's shot squirmed through his fingers. But with the ball rolling towards goal, he slid to comfortably collect it only for his momentum on the wet surface to almost carry him and the ball over the line.

The game opened up as it wore on but after the break it was Brazil calling the tune. Four minutes into the second period, Judivan and Boschilla both should have scored. The ball was cut back to the former, who saw his effort well blocked, before the latter took aim with the rebound amid a scramble, only for a combination of Guruceaga and Diego Poyet to stop it creeping over the line.

Gabriel Jesus was next to spurn a good opportunity before Danilo arguably missed the best of the bunch. Marcos Guilherme's corner was allowed to bounce in the six-yard box, but with the captain arriving at the back post he managed to scoop his volley over from three yards.

The defender then saw his cross smack the face of the bar as the yellow wave kept coming, but Uruguay stood firm to take it beyond 90 minutes, though Nahitan Nandez almost snatched a win in stoppage time. The tally of 25 shots to five in Brazil's favour at this stage, with Uruguay not earning a single corner, was an apt reflection of the pattern of play.

Uruguay improved but it was deja vu for Danilo as he missed another golden chance. This time a free-kick was headed down into his path but he was off-balance as he volleyed from the centre of goal and it flashed wide, leaving him punching the ground in frustration. Andreas Pereira then had an effort from 20 yards on target, but Guruceaga beat it away and a shoot-out was unavoidable.

There were some fine penalties on show when it did arrive, with neither goalkeeper keeping one out. That meant Amaral's miss was the only thing that separated the sides on the night as Gabriel Jesus stroked home the crucial spot-kick.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #671 on:** June 11, 2015, 05:30:36 AM »

Quarter-final Matches

Brazil v Portugal
Mali v. Germany
USA v. Serbia
Uzbekistan v. Senegal

Teams eliminated from the tournament following the Round of 16

Austria
Colombia
Ghana
Hungary
New Zealand
Nigeria
Ukraine
Uruguay

Peong · « **Reply #672 on:** June 11, 2015, 02:37:10 PM »

I love to see the raw style of football played at these youth cups.
Yeah yuh get schoolboy errors but those kids play audaciously and adventurously.
Love it.

davyjenny1 · « **Reply #673 on:** June 11, 2015, 03:23:18 PM »

Watch out for Senegal.

Deeks · « **Reply #674 on:** June 11, 2015, 04:21:14 PM »

Nice to see the Uzbeks in the next rounds. Good for the "unknowns" to have their day in the "sun". Is winter in NZ. Another thing,Levin Oztunali of Germany. Wow, I did not know he was Uwe Seeler's grandson. Uwe was dynamite, even though he never won a WC when he played for Germany. Looking at his last name, I wonder if his dad is Turkish? It will be interesting to see if he can fill his granddad shoes!

asylumseeker · « **Reply #675 on:** June 11, 2015, 04:35:38 PM »

Quote from: Deeks on June 11, 2015, 04:21:14 PM

Nice to see the Uzbeks in the next rounds. Good for the "unknowns" to have their day in the "sun". Is winter in NZ. Another thing,Levin Oztunali of Germany. Wow, I did not know he was Uwe Seeler's grandson. Uwe was dynamite, even though he never won a WC when he played for Germany. Looking at his last name, I wonder if his dad is Turkish? It will be interesting to see if he can fill his granddad shoes!

Yeah, that caught my interest. Other players with a football heritage in this tournament are Diego Poyet (son of Gus) and Giovanni Simeone (son of Diego). Likely others.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #676 on:** June 13, 2015, 11:19:13 AM »

Man U teen star shines for Brazil
By Michael Burgess (The New Zealand Herald).

Andreas Pereira (left) has signed a new contract with Manchester United.

At any Under-20 World Cup, it's always difficult to identify who will go on to bigger and better things, but Andreas Pereira might be a sure bet.

The Brazilian midfielder, in action in today's quarter-finals against Portugal, is already well on the way.

He's been at Manchester United since he was 15 and made his Premier League debut in March.

After being named the club's under-21 player of the year, he recently signed a new contract with the Red Devils until the end of the 2017-18 season.

Old Trafford. The Theatre of Dreams. England's most successful club and the second-most valuable football team in the world. A global brand worth an estimated $2 billion, and a worldwide supporter base measured in millions.

Pereira shares a dressing room with Wayne Rooney and Angel De Maria and trains alongside Robin Van Persie and Nani.

"In the beginning for me, it was like, 'wow', a shock," said Pereira, who does not turn 20 until January. "But after a while, you get used to it and they are just normal people. They help you."

There are almost 40 players in the wider Manchester United squad, from established professionals to hopeful youngsters.

Competition for places is fierce but Pereira has been impressed with the mentoring and mateship.

"Everyone is competing for a spot but, if they see a young player who can be a good player, they help you," said Pereira. "They speak with me, tell me what to do and what not to do ... We're more like a family club."

Pereira was born and raised in Belgium, where his father spent more than a decade playing professionally. By the age of nine, he was in the PSV Eindhoven system in Holland before Alex Ferguson convinced him to move to Manchester in 2011. At the same time, he was representing Belgium at youth level, turning out for their under-15, under-16 and under-17 teams, although he later opted for Brazil.

He has progressed well through the ranks at United, culminating in facing Spurs in the Premier League in March.

"It was like a dream come true," he told British media. "To be fair, when I came on the pitch, it looked like I was dreaming. I felt like I was playing a video game then, afterwards, I got used to it. I didn't think about getting tired as I was just running as hard as I can."

The tournament in New Zealand can only help his cause, with United staff likely to be watching.

Pereira has impressed, particularly against Hungary in the second group match. He set up Brazil's equaliser before stepping up to slot their winning penalty in the 86th minute. But those in yellow shirts, especially the playmakers, need broad shoulders.

"There is a lot of pressure in that position," said Pereira. "But even when you put the jersey on, you have a lot of pressure. Brazil has [the reputation] so we have to do well, otherwise people are going to talk and won't be happy."

asylumseeker · « **Reply #677 on:** June 13, 2015, 12:18:17 PM »

Semis in sight for stars and surprise packages
FIFA.com

All but one of FIFA's six confederations will be represented as the FIFA U-20 World Cup quarter-finals are contested in a single, mouth-watering day of action.

The last-eight line-up includes some surprising names, with Mali, Uzbekistan, Senegal and Serbia all on unfamiliar ground in the latter stages of a global tournament. Alongside them are some of the game's traditional giants, and Brazil and Germany will be among those aiming to avoid becoming New Zealand 2015's latest high-profile victims. With drama seemingly guaranteed across all four venues, FIFA.com previews the action.

Match of the day
Brazil-Portugal

Sparks generally fly when a A Seleção meet their former colonial masters, and this match could raise the bar yet higher. Brazil coach Rogerio Micale has spoken of "a concept of football... looking to score every time we have the ball" and the stats bear that out, with his team having attempted a tournament-high 101 shots. Luck and, at times, shooting accuracy deserted them during 120 goalless minutes against Uruguay but, whatever happens, the South Americans will stay true to the attacking philosophy that has taken them to this stage.

Portugal, though, will test to the limit their title credentials. Helio Sousa's side have also proved a potent attacking force at this competition, having scored an average of three goals per game in their four outings thus far. And having struck late, and brilliantly, to avoid extra time against New Zealand and secure an extended stay in Hamilton, they may have the fresher legs for this potentially thrilling encounter.

The other matches
Germany will again be heavy favourites in Christchurch when they go up against their second successive African opponents in the knockout phase. Mali, though, have already proved masters of the upset, and the quality of all three of their goals in the 3-0 win over Ghana underlined their potential for the spectacular.

Africa's other remaining representatives, Senegal, will still be on a high after their dramatic, Ibrahima Sy-inspired shootout victory over Ukraine in the last 16. But they would be well advised to remain wary of an unfancied Uzbekistan side that have sneaked inconspicuously into the last eight, improving steadily from game to game.

Auckland's North Habour Stadium, meanwhile, plays host to USA and Serbia. Both sides have shown ability and character in abundance, with the ten-man Serbians snatching victory from the jaws of defeat against Hungary in the last 16, and the Americans holding firm against a late Colombian onslaught. The question now: which of them has the talent and tenacity to move one step closer to glory?

Player to watch
With the Round of 16 having claimed the tournament's two top scorers - Viktor Kovalenko and Bence Mervo of Ukraine and Hungary respectively - the race for the adidas Golden Boot has been thrown wide open. Germany's Marc Stendera, whose tally of four goals leaves him just one behind the aforementioned duo, is among those best placed to challenge. Yet the midfielder's creative work has been just as important for the European champions, with his assist for Levin Oztunali's winner in the last 16 one of three - a tournament-high tally - he has supplied so far.

The stat
19 - Should they avoid defeat against Portugal, Brazil will extend their unbeaten run at this competition to 19 matches - equalling the record of old foes Argentina. The five-time winners are chasing this milestone after becoming the first team to rack up 100 U-20 World Cup matches when they edged past Uruguay in the last 16.

The words
"We prepared seriously for this tournament and didn't come here just to make up the numbers. After winning our match in the last 16, I told my team: we have not reached our goal yet. This competition ends with the final. That’s our goal."
Joseph Koto, Senegal coach

Match schedule
Brazil-Portugal (Hamilton, Waikato Stadium) = 9:00pm Saturday, June 13 T&T time

Mali-Germany (Christchurch, Christchurch Stadium) = 9:00pm Saturday, June 13 T&T time

USA-Serbia (Auckland, North Harbour Stadium) = 12:30am on Sunday, June 14 T&T time

Uzbekistan-Senegal (Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington) = 12:30am on Sunday, June 14 T&T time

asylumseeker · « **Reply #678 on:** June 13, 2015, 10:15:07 PM »

Brazil through as profligate Portugal pay the penalty
FIFA.com

Brazil have again prevailed on penalties to reach the FIFA U-20 World Cup semi-finals after a 0-0 draw with Portugal at Hamilton's Waikato Stadium. Rogerio Micale's side can count themselves hugely fortunate, although their European opponents have no-one to blame but themselves for the outcome, with dreadful misses - both throughout the match and in the shootout - leading to defeat in a match they dominated.

Helio Sousa had tweaked his system to adopt a seemingly more defensive approach but, whatever the intention, it was Portugal who spent the early stages very much on the front foot. Their first chance came in just two minutes when Joao Nunes tested keeper Jean from a long throw, while Gelson Martins headed wastefully over from a terrific Rony Lopes cross soon after.

Martins had been the hero against New Zealand in the last 16 and he almost made immediate amends for his miss in 14 minutes, providing an inswinging cross that should have doubled as an assist for Andre Silva. But while the striker ghosted in behind his marker to meet the ball right in the centre of the six yard box, he somehow contrived to direct his header wide of the left-hand post.

It was only through good fortune and poor finishing that Brazil did not find themselves behind at this stage but, as the half wore on, they steadily improved. Captain Danilo even had the ball in the net after 22 minutes but his powerful header was ruled out for pushing inside the Portuguese box.

In truth, this meeting of two of the tournament's most exciting and potent sides failed to live up to expectations, with much of the second half best described as forgettable. What few chances there were fell to Portugal, with the Europeans again left to curse their own profligate finishing. Martins was the main danger man and he twice caused havoc, first with a driven cross that Silva headed wide and then with a shot from an acute angle that was well kept out by Jean.

Brazil were riding their luck by this stage and never more so than when Rony Lopes came within a whisker of scoring with six minutes remaining. Silva had set up the chance with a clever pass inside, and while Lopes did everything right - swivelling smartly and crashing in a fine left-foot shot - the ball rebounded to safety off the inside of the far post.

Generally, though, Portugal were their own worst enemies, with Lopes missing another gilt-edged chance five minutes into extra time. His run to spring Brazil's offside trap was perfectly judged, as was Raphael Guzzo's lofted through ball, but the No10's header was not, with the ball somehow directed wide when a goal seemed inevitable. And Sousa's team continued to fluff their lines at the crucial moments, with Martins racing clean through on to a pass from Lopes only to shoot wide of the right-hand post when he had time to pick his spot.

That left penalties to settle the outcome and, like the match itself, the shootout was defined by wayward Portuguese shooting. They looked to have the initiative after Brazil's Lucao was the first to miss, but subsequent failures from Andre Silva, Nuno Santos and a calamitous Panenka attempt by Raphael Guzzo left the South Americans to look forward to a last-four meeting with either Senegal or Uzbekistan.

UPDATE: Match Highlights

Rogerio Micale, Brazil coach
We knew it was going to be tough and that’s how it turned out. We were tired after playing extra-time against Uruguay, and we suffered a bit. Everyone saw what happened, but in the end we were able to celebrate in the penalty shootout. Portugal created more in front of goal than we did and deserved to win today. They were better than us but, that being said, I don’t think anyone can say that we didn’t deserve to go through. Though we haven’t had much time to work together, we’ve still been able to push on and reach the last four, which shows the quality of Brazilian football.

Helio Sousa, Portugal coach
We didn’t manage to finish off everything we created. We stamped our authority on the game, we were better in every area but we just couldn’t score. It’s a shame to lose on penalties but it’s been a great experience for these players, who deserved to keep on playing and showing what they can do as individuals and as a team. This is tough, but it will help them to be stronger in the future and to raise the quality of Portuguese football.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #679 on:** June 13, 2015, 10:17:22 PM »

Shoot-out sends Mali into semis
FIFA.com

Mali continue to defy the odds at the FIFA U-20 World Cup after they booked their place in semi-finals with a 4-3 win on penalties over Germany following a well-fought 1-1 draw in Christchurch.

Julian Brandt's opener had put the tournament favourites ahead, though a Djigui Diarra penalty save and Souleymane Coulibaly header levelled things up, leaving the sides level for an hour. Niklas Stark then fired the crucial spot-kick wide and sent Fanyeri Diarra's send into dreamland.

The outstanding moment of the opening passages of play was a disappointing one for the match, as Germany's top scorer Marc Stendera was forced off the field, and without him the tournament's most prolific side struggled to find their rhythm. Good pressing from the Malians limited their chances, although the Africans often struggled to make any themselves.

A couple from efforts from distance were all that brought either goalkeeper into action before Frank Wormuth's charges broke the deadlock shortly before the break. A Hany Mukhtar free-kick couldn't get beyond the defensive wall, but the ball eventually fell to Brandt, who hit a volley from the edge of the area that skipped off the turf and into the bottom corner.

Senegal returned after the break looking bright and up for the challenge. Their early pressure looked to have been for nothing though after the referee pointed to the spot for a foul on Jeremy Dudziak. But the Africans held strong as Mukhtar saw his effort saved and, within two minutes, parity was restored.

A foul on the left flank gave Youssouf Kone the chance to swing a cross into the German area and Coulibaly met it perfectly. The defender got free at the front post and his diving header flashed beyond keeper Marvin Schwaebe and into the far corner.

Later, a weak back-pass left Malian hearts in mouths as Hamidou Maiga almost gifted the Germans a path into the last four. Mukhtar should also have atoned for his penalty miss, but directed his header wide, ensuring the game went to extra-time.

Malick Toure should have put Mali ahead for the first time when he headed over from three yards out as the Germans seemed to tire as the additional 30 minutes wore on. A shoot-out always looked like where it was headed though, and while Adama Traore saw his effort saved, Brandt then fired over before Stark's off-target effort saw Europe's two front-runners go out on spot-kicks in the space of minutes.

UPDATE: Match Highlights

Fanyeri Diarra, Mali coach
We said we would show Christchurch a great game and we did it. Germany is a big nation at this level and we know we were not the favourites, but we fought the battle until the end. Before the tournament I didn’t think our team was ready but we have grown in confidence and believed in ourselves. We have carried on step-by-step and have been building on our good results. There are always surprises in these tournaments and we are one of them. Now we are ready to face whatever comes next.

Frank Wormuth, Germany coach
This is the reason that I love football, exciting until the last second. We can carry our hats high and I am very proud of my team who have played very well in this tournament. Today our opponents were as good as us and we knew that Mali were at the same level going into this game. In the 55th minute of the second half there was a chance for us to win from a penalty, but we missed out. It is a big disappointment for us, but we didn’t lose from our opponents we lost from a penalty and that is sometimes luck. Congratulations Mali for an excellent win.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #680 on:** June 13, 2015, 10:22:38 PM »

Germany had a relatively easy ride through this tournament ... with a group featuring Uzbekistan, Honduras and Fiji.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #681 on:** June 13, 2015, 11:56:47 PM »

Senegal: technical errors to kill yuh, but still in the running. Uzbekistan? Poised to punish them.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #682 on:** June 14, 2015, 12:12:43 AM »

Goal x Thiam at 77'. One step closer to a berth in the semis. Still too early to speak of an all CAF final, but it is theoretically alive. Senegal v. Mali is on the table.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #683 on:** June 14, 2015, 12:21:27 AM »

These jokers just manufactured 5 minutes of stoppage time.

Final score: SEN 1 UZB 0.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #684 on:** June 14, 2015, 12:45:44 AM »

Thought we would have seen more of Shaq Moore in this tournament.

New Zealand with all thjs rain and cold seems like a horrible place to be playing. At times difficult conditions. The US just dodged a bullet because passing at the edge of the goal area rather than shooting is a luxury option.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #685 on:** June 14, 2015, 01:06:28 AM »

Rubin: stutter PK gone wrong. Ouch!

Better x Desevio Payne.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #686 on:** June 14, 2015, 01:15:03 AM »

High drama ... Stutter PKs are not that easy to convert.

Brazil v Senegal
Serbia v Mali

US loses 6-5 on PKs.

davyjenny1 · « **Reply #687 on:** June 14, 2015, 03:39:07 AM »

Quote from: davyjenny1 on June 11, 2015, 03:23:18 PM

Watch out for Senegal.

Just like i said.

davyjenny1 · « **Reply #688 on:** June 14, 2015, 03:45:27 AM »

Quote from: asylumseeker on June 14, 2015, 12:45:44 AM

Thought we would have seen more of Shaq Moore in this tournament.

New Zealand with all thjs rain and cold seems like a horrible place to be playing. At times difficult conditions. The US just dodged a bullet because passing at the edge of the goal area rather than shooting is a luxury option.

One of the reason;Viktor Kovalenko and Artem Biesiedin of the Ukraine showed him up.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #689 on:** June 16, 2015, 06:33:25 PM »

Fifa boss Sepp Blatter cancels plans to visit NZ
Scott Yeoman (The New Zealand Herald).

Fifa boss Sepp Blatter has cancelled plans to visit New Zealand for this weekend's Under-20 World Cup final in Auckland, world football`s governing body said today.

"Due to his current commitments in Zurich the Fifa President [Blatter] will not be able to travel to New Zealand to attend the final of the Fifa U-20 World Cup," a Fifa spokesperson told the Herald this evening.

Blatter would likely have received a cool reception had he made the trip, after New Zealand Football voted against him in last month's presidential election.

NZ Football chief executive Andy Martin said earlier this month that he hoped Blatter stayed away as his presence would turn the tournament final into a "sideshow".

Blatter, who has been in charge of Fifa since 1998, has announced he will quit after the organisation was engulfed by a series of widespread corruption allegations.

The Fifa U-20 World Cup final will take place on Saturday, featuring the winners of Wednesday`s semi-finals in which Brazil play Senegal and Serbia take on Mali.