UEFA U-19 World Championships, Netherlands defeat England
The UEFA U-19 World Championships are underway in France with 8 teams participating in the competition. France being the host, were the only automatic qualifiers in the tournament while all the 7 other had to go through qualifying rounds. Most surprisingly the defending champions, Ukraine failed to qualify for the tournament.
2 groups of 4 teams each have been assembled with each team playing their group opponents once and the top two qualifying for the semi finals.
The teams finishing in the top six will advance to the UEFA U-20 World Championships.
England, France, Austria, and, Holland are placed in group A while Spain, Portugal, Croatia and Italy make up the group B.
So far each team has played two matches each with Spain leading Group B with 2 wins out of two and France leading Group A with the same number of wins.
In their last match Spain overcame their Iberian neighbours by 2 goals to 1 and made sure of their qualification into the semi-finals of the tournament.
Leading the Spanish attack is the wonder striker Pacheco, and he once again was on song in the game against Portugal as he scored a late winner in the game to secure their qualification into the next round.
Portugal lacked ideas and creativity in the midfield as Spain dominated them from open play. Pacheco had put the Spaniards in front early on in the 12th minute when he made his way into the box after a mazy run and slotted the ball easily past the on rushing goal Tiago Maia. Portugal, however, got back into the game when Ruben Pinto’s run on the left hand side was too hot to handle for the Spanish defenders and he slalomed the ball into the net via the underside of the crossbar.
But Spain were not to be denied a win as their star striker once again came good and fired another ballistic shot from the edge of the box, Maia could do nothing to stop the thunder bolt.
In the other match of the group Croatia and Italy were forced to play a drab draw. Italy and Croatia are both left with just one point in Group B after two matches, falling into a 0-0 stalemate in Mondeville, France.
Croatia had better chances in the game and tested the Italian goalkeeper, Simone Colombi, but the goalkeeper was equal to the task. Italy found their feet later in the half when the top scorer of the qualifiers, Mattia Destro tested the Croatian goalie but failed and the subsequent shot by Chelsea striker Fabio Borini required a goal line clearance.
Italy was reduced to 10 men when the Milan defender, Michelangelo, picked up two yellows in quick succession to put his side on the back foot.
Croatia launched one attack after another but failed to beat the Italian resistance. The last round of the games will be held on Saturday where Croatia take on Portugal and Spain meet Italy.
Spain have already qualified for the semis while Croatia need to beat Portugal and Italy need to beat Spain to stand any chance of making it to the semi finals.
In the other match of the night England lost to Holland by a single goal and now need to beat France in their last game to go through.
Steven Berghuis’s goal in the 6th minute settled the match in favour of the young Oranje brigade, as England were made to rue missed opportunities.
Dutch goalie Jeroen Zoet was extremely lucky to see the ball cannon off the post and when he rushed on to stop Frank Nouble but couldn’t manage. In the end it was nothing more than the Dutch deserved.
England were unlucky to have a goal disallowed when, Aston Villa’s Nathan Delfounseo, saw his second half strike ruled out for a deliberate handball, erroneously though.
In the last match of the day two teen prodigies Antoine Griezmann and Olympic Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette scored two goals each to see France hammer Austria 5-0.
France have qualified with two wins out of two while England still need a win against France or hope the Dutch lose to Austria on the last day.
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