Thread for the 2024 WWC U-20 Knockout Matches. The USA has made it into the quarterfinals and will face the winner of Germany-Argentina. Their next match is this Sunday 9/15/24.
I'll join the party, or is this the after-party? USA 3-2 Mexico Germany v Argentina Brazil 3-1 Cameroon North Korea v Austria Japan v Nigeria Spain 2-1 Canada France v Netherlands Colombia 1-0 South Korea Official recap w/highlights of the USA victory ... https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...team-vs-mexico-score-result-stats-match-recap "The USA’s quarterfinal match will be played on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. ET at the Estadio Pascal Guerrero in Cali, where the Americans played their first two group-stage games. The USA will learn its quarterfinal opponent on Sept. 12 {tonight} as three-time FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup champion Germany, the Group D winner, faces Group F third-place side Argentina in a Round of 16 match across Bogotá at the Estadio El Techo."
Quick update: USA 3-2 Mexico Germany 5-1 Argentina (outcome never in doubt, 4-0 at 37') Brazil 3-1 Cameroon North Korea 5-2 Austria (Austria down to 10 players from 29' on {1-1 at that point}) Japan v Nigeria Spain 2-1 Canada France v Netherlands Colombia 1-0 South Korea All four quarterfinals to be played on Sunday ... USA v Germany Brazil v North Korea Spain v ? Colombia v ?
Someone on the international side posted this link: https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/showcase/0b16cc19-27f7-4505-8b77-d534a0183297 You can stream and watch for free, if you register.
Down go the French, 2-1 the Dutch win in ET. Netherlands will face Colombia, the host. Japan hangs on to beat Nigeria 2-1. Japan will play Spain, and I can't wait to watch that matchup.
FIFA and the Local Organising Committee of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Colombia 2024™️ have announced a change to the kick-off times for the quarter-final matches to be played on Sunday 15 September in Cali. #U20WWC ➡️ https://t.co/HB3IMcn7pf pic.twitter.com/n6km6Sh9UB— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) September 12, 2024 USA match is 2 hours later than originally scheduled. So, it seems FIFA staggered the times, so fans can watch all 4 matches. Nice!!
All six Group #1's advanced, plus two strong #2's (USA + Netherlands), and all four quarterfinals are good matchups with points of interest. In a compressed tournament, extra rest days are advantageous, with travel (time/distance/hassle) another consideration. Both USA and Germany played in Bogota and will travel to Cali for their QF match. The USA has a slight advantage in those terms, I would think, an extra day off and including a return to familiar ground in Cali, where we played our first two group matches. On the other hand, we had a much more challenging R16 match, including extra time, while Germany had a breather and could rest players. Germany earned that advantage, an easier R16 match, by finishing first in their group. Go USA!
I may have been wrong about the change in start times for the USA match. I was told that I had already posted the updated schedule. I don't want to be responsible for any missing the start of that match.
As currently posted on FIFA.com (always subject to change), on Sunday we have ... 3:30 PM Brazil v North Korea 5:30 PM Netherlands v Colombia 7:00 PM Japan v Spain 9:00 PM USA v Germany [I'm assuming all these are Eastern time.]
dunno if there’s an ranking system in u20, just surprised to see that arguably the two favorites(Japan & Spain) are meeting already in the quarterfinals? Oh well. at least means someone new in the finals
The draw system is almost exactly what it is in full WWC tournaments. Also it is good to always remember that the teams that played in the earlier final are almost completely different than the one playing this year. The Uxx tournaments do not really follow the paterns of full WWC where the teams from one to the next remain pretty similar. That is past performances is no real clue as to current performance. Even with that it happens in full WWCs as well. Remember that the USA and France met early in the knockouts in the France WWC where they were one and two in most rankings. It happens and there is no real reason for concern. I do not think either of Japan or Spain is the best in the tournament but it does not really matter as to get to the top every team must beat all the rest or they must beat whoever does beat the rest. Seedings only matter for group pay and, after that, every team left is quite good. My only complaint about this tournament's seedings is that the group play gets set up so that the two best teams in each group meets early as often as late. I think the USA is better than Spain (Spain also plays boring soccer) and their match in group lay would have been better if it were played later in the group. I have no problem with either the match times or the seedings but I do wish that the group matches were not so many at the same time in group play. But I guess FIFA and the Colombian fed does not view this as a tournament that is much of a money maker so making it easy to watch is not a priority at all. FIFA, I think, wishes these youth tournaments did not happen at all. It does not make them enough money to justify the expense.
Referee assignments from the Law5 Referee Blog: BRAZIL - NORTH KOREA Referee: Marta Huerta de Aza ESP Assistant Referee 1: Guadalupe Porras Ayuso ESP Assistant Referee 2: Eliana Fernandez Gonzalez ESP Fourth Official: Natalie Simon USA Reserve Assistant Referee: Meghan Mullen USA NETHERLANDS - COLOMBIA Referee: Dong Fangyu CHN Assistant Referee 1: Xie Lijun CHN Assistant Referee 2: Bao Mengxiao CHN Fourth Official: Casey Reibelt AUS Reserve Assistant Referee: Ramina Tsoi KGZ JAPAN - SPAIN Referee: Anahi Fernandez URU Assistant Referee 1: Daiana Fernandez URU Assistant Referee 2: Belen Clavijo URU Fourth Offcial: Astrid Gramajo GUA Reserve Assistant Referee: Sherly Socop GUA USA - GERMANY Referee: Oh Hyeon-jeong KOR Assistant Referee 1: Kim Kyoung-min KOR Assistant Referee 2: Supawan Hinthong THA Fourth Offcial:Vincentia Amedome TOG Reserve Assistant Referee: Linda Schmid SUI I figured two of the referees from the Round of 16 would also referee a quarterfinal on short turnaround and I figured Marta Huerta de Aza (Spain) would be one of them because of the very high chance her assignments would be limited by her country's team advancing. Oh Hyeon-jeong (the Good Korea) is the other one. Two of the others from the Round of 16 are probably penciled in for the semi-finals
Almost there … North Korea 1-0 Brazil Netherlands 2-2 Colombia Netherlands advances 3-0 on PKs Japan 1-0 Spain in extra time (nearly over) Now final: Japan 1-0 Spain At the very end, 120’ + … “No penalty. A VAR review of a potential penalty to Spain U-20 confirms the original decision not to award one.”
If I wanted boring soccer I would have watch the earlier MLS match. It is really good that lately I do not usually get sleepy until after midnight or this could lull me to sleep. The most interesting question I have to watch for is, "what new creative way can the USA miss the goal?" This match is not fun to watch!
USA youth teams are usually not very good. No coherence. The entire youth system needs to be revamped, but I doubt it will ever happen.
This team is actually pretty good with the exception that they can't hit the damn goal. When the USA shoots it is like there are two places the ball can go: 1. in the keeper's bellybutton 2. anywhere that is not in the goal. it is unfortunate that these kid's can't shoot. BTW: I think the USA cannot challenge as they used one in the first half and another in this half. I guess the announcers don't have time to actually think about what they say.
The women's youth teams have been pretty god awful since 2012. The U20 men have made runs to the QF's in 4 consecutive tournaments, the loss in '15 to the champ on penalties, the loss in '17 to the runner up, the loss in '19 to the bronze finisher, the loss in '23 to the champ. The U20 women were dominant from '02-'12, but since '12 they've been utter crap, which is why this run has been a refreshing performance. They've also finished ahead of Germany in plenty of the attacking metrics in this game. I expected them to be played off the field, it hasn't happened. Nice job by them.
I think it helps that a bunch of players on this squad are playing professionally. Previous rosters were made up of almost all college players. Players regress in the NCAA with its rule of endless subs.
In fairness, one other group, I think the '16 cycle, made a run to the semifinals, so there was that, but they were straight ---- in '14, '18 and '22. This group may have put them back on track, one would hope. Don't care that they gave up the last goal, its bittersweet, but they played way better than I expected against a team that took Spain to what, penalties or whatever in the UEFA U19 Final.
Well "The Gang That Can't Shoot Straight" is losing another. I give up, we should have 5 and we have 0 so I bit make like a "White Socks" fan of some years back and leave before the end.