2017 FIFA U20 World Cup: Non-U.S. team and tournament news

Doesn't Italy start off slow and build in every tournament?

 

I am not sure about Italy's youth, but for the Mens WC Italy hasn't started slow and turned it around since 2006. In 2010 and 2014 they were eliminated in the group stage.

 

Hah! Typically they call a better result than expected a win.

 

My biggest takeaway from the U20 World Cup so far: Beards.

So many players with beards. What is up with the beards. These are teenagers. Kids. Why do they all have beards?

I know, the hipsters made beards fashionable - which is terrible, because in my personal opinion, beards are for lumberjacks, biker gangs, and 50 year-olds undergoing a mid-life crisis.

Also, I think the beard would slow an athlete down - it traps body heat around your face, causes you sweat more, and it increases air resistance and drag when you're running, and you have to expend extra energy picking out all the trapped food particles. An athlete's gotta be sleek and hairless, like an Olympic swimmer. I'm sure sport science will back me up on this.


Anyway - this is an example why I'll never be a professional sports commentator.

 

Luca de la Torre had a beard going while playing for the US U17s.........................


Andrew Carleton is of course rocking some sort of natural disaster on his head.

 

Or maybe one of the best EVER.

 

And if they lose to Senegal - we'll know why.

 

Don't you remember growing facial hair for the first time around 16/17 and just letting it grow to prove to everyone you can.
Particularly the ladies....

 

Andrew Carleton's face looks like a 36 year old man.

 

Lots of neck tattoos already for Uruguay youngsters.

 

Not surprising at all. They have them as U-17's sometimes.

 

I resemble that remark

 

You should be playing on our U-20 team.

 

I'm already committed to the U-60s!

 

I tend to agree. Uruguay looked a lot better against Italy. I do not know if Japan was just a tougher opponent or if Uruguay had an off day. Uruguay did not seem to show the same focus or intensity that they did versus Italy. Their crisp passing versus Italy looked lackadaisical today.

 

I can coach that team.

 

You're way too talented for the U-60s. You should play up with the U-100s.

 

Do you think playing up will hurt or help my development? Maybe showcase me for a good club opportunity?

 

F23.Ecuador 1-2 Saudi Arabia
07' 0-1 Al-Khulaif through-ball springs Abdulrahman Alyami to 12m 6-right, sliding golaaaaaaazo off right post high, wraparound roll along back edge high

84' 0-2 KSA collect in own 1/3, hit Alyami at circle back wide right, cutting inside. Al-Khulaif veers correctly inside-out between the diagonal line, Alyami right outstep flick into his stride, continues his own run 50m amidst 4 defenders. Al-Khulaif sprints down to 8m mid-right, turns full body and blasts a hard bending ground cross to Alyami veering correctly away from madding crowd, alone at 4m 4-left for a sliding right outstep flick to center back low. A 2-v-6 counterattack produces a tap-in goal

88' 1-2 Ecuador roll a pass down box right for the RB overlapping fast, hard ground cross from 5m beats the lax backline to 2m 1/3 left, Jordy Caicedo slides and taps in.

FT 1-2. Saudi Arabia looked electric, Ecuador ran into a human wall: 24 shots (10 on frame), but GK Amin Al-Bukhari saved a pk, 5 singletons, and a double-save in a 1-goal win. They all looked like they think faster than USA kids

Group F gets weirder. We need(?) a result vs. Senegal (or Senegal beats all three of us) just to earn a winner-in finale vs. KSA.

 

In 1982 the senior team tied three games and won. In 1990 they made 3rd place at home by conceding one goal up to the semifinal vs. Argentina when Caniggia scored. In 1994 they started off poorly and lost the Ireland and lost to Brazil on pk's in Pasadena. IN 2006 they did well and won but their last two tournaments have been horrid.

Italy's Under 20 team hardly ever does well in the youth tournaments. Not sure why but they just aren't at the same level as the senior team is. I'm guessing because because many of the same starters are playing with their clubs during league play and not wanting to be released or involved in the Euro U21 and don't elect or get picked to play both. Milan players for example, Donnarumma and Locatelli aren't on the team.

I have a question that I'm sure that has been asked but I don't have time to sift through the threads...

Why isn't Christian Pulisic who was born September 18, 1998 and is 18 not on the U-20 team?

 

The same reason Rashford isn't on the England U20 team, which is the same reason Donnarumma isn't on the Italy U20 team, which is the same reason Renato Sanches isn't on the Portugal U20 team.

 

And what is the reason? Because of league play?

 

Club commitments, international commitments at higher age groups and a general feeling they've progressed beyond this level.

 

I don't know if its been changed or not but I I remember there was once a rule that FIFA forced clubs to release players for international tournaments. I know it doesn't apply for the Olympic games but don't know about the youth finals.

 

Wow..............that was a shock win for Suadi Arabia over Ecuador. I now have to re-evaluate my opinion of both teams.

Hugely valuable win today against Senegal. However, we still haven't clinched advancement. And that's because of that Saudi Arabia game. Its very likely we will, but mathematically we haven't yet. If we beat Saudi Arabia we're set up to face the runner up of Group E. That's likely to be New Zealand

Its weird, though. France may not care about winning the group. The winner of Group E faces the runner-up of Group D. As of right now...............that's Italy. ...........

By the way, CONCACAF isn't having a good tournament. Honduras and Costa Rica haven't won a game yet.