The Coffee Growers of Colombia on Saturday night at Talca in Chile spitted out soccer giants Spain 3-2 at the quarterfinals of the world U20 male football to collide with the winner of Mexico versus Argentina in the semifinals.
Hero of the match was Colombia’s Neiser Villarreal who scored a hat trick in a single match to sink Spain making his goal haul to be 5 at the mundial though he could not score against Nigeria but scored two goals against South Africa.
Villarreal scored the curtain raiser in the 38th minute of play from a pass from Barrere; he equalized 2-2 at the 64th for Colombia after Spain threatened their forward march leading 2-1 and got the winner at the 89th minute from defender, Sarabia Barrios connect a good pass.
Rayane Belaid of Athletico Madrid scored first for Spain in the 56th minute of play and just three minutes later Juan Virgili of Mallorca FC made the score board then to read Spain 2 Colombia 1. VAR denied Spain penalty chances twice at the 29th minute and 90+3rd minute.
Colombia allowed Spain to do the playing as Spain controlled the game with 473 passes to 266; holding the ball in 65-35 % ball possession and wasting an 8-5 corner kick advantage meaning Spain was not good at set pieces.
Colombia focused on attacking football with their 17-15 shots at goal of which 7-5 were on target but Colombia was very cautious at defence making a good clearances of 30-18 times from which the committed10-7 fouls earning 3-1 yellows while Spain was better at the interceptions in 13-8 times.
At the Round of 16 games, Colombia Slammed South Africa 3-1 and Spain piped Ukraine by a lone goal for both countries to play at the quarterfinal.
It is wonderful that Spain and Colombia never met at this age group competitions even at any friendly match.
Spain at Soviet Union 1985 lost the final to Brazil 0-1 after extra time; placed 4th at Qatar 95 when she lost to Paraguay 2-3; won the trophy in Abuja, Nigeria 1999 when she stopped Japan 4-0 and at the UAE 2003 again lost the final to Brazil by a lone goal.
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Colombia in 11 appearances only won the Bronze beating Argentina 2-1 at UAE 2003. The country hosted in 2011 but lost to Mexico in the quarterfinals 1-3 at Bogota.
At midnight tonight Mexico will lock horns with Argentina at Pradamos; Tomorrow Sunday at 9pm still Nigeria time, Africa’s surviving team, Atlas Lions will test jungle might against high scoring Yankees of USA at Teniente while at midnight of Sunday it shall be Norway versus France.
On Wednesday the 1st semifinal will be Colombia versus Mexico/Argentina at 9pm at Santiago while the 2nd semifinal will feature USA/Morocco versus Norway/France at midnight at Velparaiso.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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