Sunday 7 August 2011
THE DAY REPLAYED – The final day of group action at
the FIFA U-20 World Cup Colombia 2011 featured the full
gambit of footballing emotions and, now that the
competition’s first 36 matches are done and dusted, the
full line-up for the Round of 16 has been confirmed.
The matchday included further success for Spain and
Nigeria, who made in three wins from three in Groups C
and D respectively, while Guatemala bounced back from
two emphatic opening defeats to beat Croatia and seal a
surprise spot in the last 16. It was also a good day for
CONMEBOL, with Ecuador’s win over Costa Rica - who
also progressed - putting four of the region’s
representatives in the first round of the knockout stages
for the sixth FIFA U-20 World Cup in a row.
Results
Group C
Ecuador 3-0 Costa Rica
Australia 1-5 Spain
Group D
Saudi Arabia 0-2 Nigeria
Croatia 0-1 Guatemala
Goal of the day
Croatia-Guatemala, Marvin Ceballos 81’
Guatemala’s first ever goal in the history of the
competition could scarcely have come at a better time.
Comunicaciones striker Ceb allos gambled on a long
clearance from keeper Roberto Padilla and, when the
Croatian backline failed to clear, got beyond the last
defender to knock the ball first-time right-footed into the
net for the winner. The Guatemalans thus become the
first team to qualify for the knockout stages of the FIFA
U-20 World Cup with a goal difference of -10.
Memorable moments
Alex makes his bow
Spain coach Julen Lopetegui knows full well how it feels
to sit out games on the bench, having been La Rojita’s
reserve keeper for all his side’s matches at the USSR
1985 edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Perhaps that
was partly why the supremo decided to bring on third-
choice custodian Alex for Fernando Pacheco at half-time
against Australia. “If something happens to Pacheco in
the Round of 16, if he gets a red card for example, it’s
better if Alex is ready and has had some match time,”
said the coach toFIFA.com. Zaragoza man Alex pulled
off three fine saves to repay his coach’s faith and soften
the blow of the ruling out through injury of Aitor, between
the sticks for Spain’s opener against Costa Rica.
Quick off the mark
Another young Spanish starlet, Alvaro Vazquez, has
proved here at Colombia 2011 that he needs very little
time to make an impact. Scorer of his side’s second
against Ecuador within 14 minutes of coming off the
bench, against the Aussies in his first start of the
competition the striker struck three goals in a devastating
12-minute burst. It was the third-fastest hat-trick in FIFA
U-20 World Cup history behind his countryman Adrian
Lopez (nine minutes, Canada 2007) and the Brazilian
Adailton (five minutes, Malaysia 1997). In the process,
Vazquez also shot to the top of the tournament's scorers’
charts.
Worth the pain
So thrilled was Guatemala’s goalscoring hero Ceballos
with his decisive late strike, and so exuberant were his
celebrations, the forward needed treatment after taking a
knock to the head. His subsequent return to the fray,
featuring a tear-stained face and a heavily bandaged
forehead, added even more drama to Los
Guatemaltecos’ shock progress to the next round.
Who dares wins
In his determination to avoid a Round of 16 meeting with
South American superpowers Brazil, Nigeria coach John
Obuh sent out a side featuring two attacking midfielders
and a four-man frontline of Omoh Ojabu, Abdul Ajagun,
Uche Nwofor and Ahmed Musa against Saudi Arabia. His
daring was rewarded by Musa grabbing the opening goal,
while Ojabu’s replacement Olarenwaju Kayode scored
the second in a 2-0 success.
The stat
58 –The number of seconds Spain’s Sergi Roberto
required to score against Australia in the fastest goal of
Colombia 2011 thus far. His pinpoint right-foot strike also
went down as the sixth fastest in FIFA U-20 World Cup
history.
Up next – Round of 16 line-up
Tuesday 9 August
Cameroon-Mexico
Portugal-Guatemala
Colombia-Costa Rica
Argentina-Egypt
Wednesday 10 August
Nigeria-England
Spain- Korea Republic
Brazil-Saudi Arabia
France-Ecuador
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