……Clinches World U20 Football cup first time in 16 years
Liverpool player, Luciano Rodriguez lifted Uruguay to her first ever U20 world cup victory in 16 appearances with a text book header from a goal mouth scramble in the 86th minute.
The goal had to be kept in view creating a tense moment as Swedish Ref, Glenn Nyberg had to consult the VAR to check the validity of the goal. He was to also consult the VAR crew in the 81st minute when he gave a straight red card to Matteo Pratti sporting the No 4 shirt for Italy for what appeared to be a malicious kick on his opponent’s knee but the VAR reverted to Yellow card.
Uruguay dictated the entire game but the stats were Shots at goal for Uruguay 15 with 4 on target; shorts at goal for Italy 3 with none on target; Italy controlled ball possession 54-46% and the passes 361-299.
U20: Italy defeats Columbia 3-1 zooms into the semi final
Italy was terribly rough being caught with 22-12 foul calls; had 4-1 yellow cards but the Uruguay boys were offside 5 times to Italy no time. Uruguay had 9 corners to Italy’s 3 showing were the pressure was.
Uruguay 45 year old coach, Marcelo Broli led his players in marvelous dance parade after the match.
Uruguay had beaten Iraq 4-0; lost to England 2-3 and piped Tunisia 1-0. Incidentally Uruguay that had beaten African representative, Tunisia in the group encounter 1-0 again eliminated another African team, Gambia 1-0 in the round of 16 before dismissing the Yankees of USA 2-0 in the quarterfinals. The country piped Israel 1-0 in the semifinal.
Italy stepped out first to beat Brazil 3-2 to send warning signals out; but lost to Nigeria 0-2 in the second match before thrashing Dominic Republic 3-0. At the Knockout stages, Italy caged the Junior Three Lions of England 2-1 in the round of 16 and knocked off Columbia 3-1 in the quarterfinal. Italy outclassed South Korea 2-1 in the semifinal.
Incidentally, Italy and Uruguay met twice in a single world cup tournament. In the South Korea 2017 Group D, Italy lost 0-1 to Uruguay on 21st of May 2017. Group D had Uruguay, Italy, Japan and South Africa and they ended in that order at the end of group proceedings.
The second time they met was on the 11th June for the battle for the Bronze. Mexican Ref Cesar Ramos was at the center at the match attended by 10,749 fans. The match ended goalless but Amaral and Boselli lost their penalties and Italy won 4-1.
At that tournament, England won the trophy. Nigerian born England striker, Dominic Solanke was the Best player and Riccardo Orsolini was the highest scorer with 5 goals.
The Gli Azzurrini of Italy coached by Camine Nunziata is in the competition for the 8th time and won bronze only once as best result at South Korea in 2017 after playing goalless at Extra time won on 4-1 penalty kicks, The Ref was Cesar Ramos from Mexico. Italy had lost the semifinal to England 1-3. Nigerian Born Solanke scored a Brace for England in 66th and 88th minute and Lookman also scored 77th minute for England. Italy won Bronze before 10,749 fans.
Italy was 4th placed at Poland 2019 when she lost to Ecuador 0-1 AET on 14th June before 8,934 fans. The team had lost the semifinal to South Korea 0-1 in Poland. Other placing were quarterfinals in 1987 in Chile; at Netherlands in 2005 and in Egypt in 2009.
Uruguay appeared at the world cup 15 times. Uruguay won Silver twice in 1997 at Malaysia when she lost to Argentina in the final on 5th July as she had beaten Ghana 3-2 AET in the semifinal. In 2013 at Turkey where Paul Pogba of France was Best Player of the tournament, France won 4-2 on penalties after a goalless full time; Uruguay had beaten Iraq 7-6 on penalties after 1-1 at Full time. She won the Bronze at Japan 1979 when Diego Maradona scored winning goal number 2 at 74th minute in the semifinal and went to beat Poland in the Losers’ Final 5-3 on penalties after 1-1 at Full time.
Incidentally Uruguay first 4th place among three times as 4th placed was at Tunisia in 1977; Nigeria 1999 and she lost to Italy 4-1 on penalties at South Korea 2017 in the year England and Venezuela were qualifying for their first final which England won 1-0. Uruguay appeared in the quarterfinals three times in 1981, 1983 and 1993.
Already a total 153 goals have been scored as at the 51 matches of the 3rd place match (meaning 3 goals per match). A total of 638,460 fans meaning 12,769 per match. Some 15,327 fans were at the 3rd place match between Israel and South Korea making 653,787 fans which is an average of 12, 819 fans per match.
The temperature dropped in La Plata to 90C giving a biting cold night. A total of 504 players featured at the U20 championship in Argentina and this particular tournament makes it the 7th finals without the Defending champions appearing.
Italian Cesere Casdei is the highest goal scorer with 7 goals; Brazil’s Marcos Leonardo is second with 5 goals with two players Columbia’s Oscar Cortes and Ecuador’s Justin Cuero have 4 goals each. Two of the five players that scored 3 goals each can still score goals. They are Alejo Veliz and Anderson Duarte both of Uruguay.
The highest known goal scorer at the U20 level is Javior Saviola of Argentina with 11 goals at the 2001 games.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
The Author, Eniola Olatunji (Formerly Yomi Kassim) has been in the media for some 46 years with vast experience in Radio Sports Commentaries and Newspaper reporting. He worked as Presenter/Producer on many radio stations and Reporter/Editor in some Newspapers,
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