2025 FIFA U20 Championship: All Teams & Tournament News

Christopher Columbus would be proud?

 

And Argentina vs Nigeria, with Argentina coming out on top about 80% of the time.

 

Japan played so well 95% of the time, in my opinion the ideal of what good soccer looks like. They were strong on the ball, but didn't need a lot of it due to how incisive and ruthless they were in the attack. Unfortunately the last little bit of putting the ball in the back of the net didn't work out for them.

 

It's a one off game. Hitting the woodwork twice is just unlucky. Japan looked championship caliber.

 

Sorry but hitting the posts or crossbar is NOT unlucky, it is simply a miss. It may be a close miss but a miss none the less.
People, even announcers, use "luck" in place of "mistake" or "error" or "mistake" much too often.

 

Closing out the Round of 16 …

USA 3-0 Italy
Morocco 2-1 South Korea

The Quarterfinals are set …

Saturday
Argentina v Mexico
Colombia v Spain

Sunday
USA v Morocco
Norway v France

************

Chile (2A) 1-4 Mexico (2C)
Argentina (1D) 4-0 Nigeria (3F)

Ukraine (1B) 0-1 Spain (3C)
Colombia (1F) 3-1 South Africa (2E)

USA (1E) v Italy (2D)
Morocco (1C) v South Korea (3B)

Paraguay (2B) 0-1 Norway (2F)
Japan (1A) 0-1 France (3E)

 

Checking some updated data and some things stuck out:

Only two goalkeepers have yet to surrender a goal this tournament after playing the majority of a game - Einar Bøe Fauskanger of Norway and Alexander Pisano of Japan.

Pisano was pulled at the last minute for a penalty specialist, who promptly let in France's penalty kick and lost the game. He will end the tournament without a single goal allowed, an impressive stat since he played every minute for Japan but a few.

Fauskanger is interesting as well; he is an '08 and as such one of the youngest players in the tournament. He's played in each game except the Saudi Arabia game. He is the son of the CEO of FK Haugesund; in 6 Eliteserien starts he has allowed an incredible 18 goals.

The other Norway GK has only allowed one goal; a penalty. Defensively, they are a scary team.

 

Marko told me that when Norway beat the U.S. U-20 team 1-0 in June, Norway was an exceptionally well-organized defensive team. He was impressed by them.

 

So I guess we root for France if we win our match, and for Norway if we don't.

 

To me that makes them a dark horse favorite. Defense wins tournaments because it is almost always very reliable game to game while offensive teams are out with one bad or average game.

 

What are we?

 

We are afraid to jinx it!

 

Exciting first quarterfinal: Spain 2-3 Colombia

Colombia took the lead before halftime, conceded two second half goals to trail 2-1, drew level and then scored a later winner (@89’). Neiser Villareal scored all three for Colombia.

Next up this evening: Mexico v Argentina

 

It was a pretty good game, Spain had most of the ball, but not many good looks at goal. Colombia could have had a couple more goals with a little more composure when shooting.

 

Well it is at the 80th minute for the Argentina vs Mexico and Argentina is up 2-0 and not looking at all like there is any real chance that Mexico will come back. The Mexican coach stupidly wasted his two challenges on very marginal events and now has none left if something important does happen in a way that might give a reward for the challenge.

This is a situation where "it is all over but the shouting" applies and pretty much has applied since the 60th minute.

 

ARG v Mex is like a gang war with a ball in the middle. They both play a very wide open game. Just glad it's not our guys getting whacked like that.

 

Mexico lost there cool and drew a second yellow card for their best player and they will play the last minutes with 10.
To be honest I thought two Mexican and one Argentinian players should have received straight reds.

 

With almost no time left Mexico managed to commit a serious foul and they are now down to 9. That is as far as it will go as the match ends with Mexico effectively shooting themselves in the foot and losing 2-0.

 

I saw the game. Mexico got punch in the mouth (goal) 10 minutes in and that took their confidence out of the game. They didn't know how to play Argentina. Too many players waiting for someone else to do something. Is like they were afraid to lose the ball and get scored again.
The two red cards were frustration from the Mexican side. Sounds familiar?

In the other game, Spain was stronger, but Colombia made their chances count. Argentina should beat them.

 

The Quarterfinals are halfway complete …

Saturday
Argentina 2-0 Mexico
Colombia 3-2 Spain

Sunday
USA v Morocco
Norway v France

************

Chile (2A) 1-4 Mexico (2C)
Argentina (1D) 4-0 Nigeria (3F)

Ukraine (1B) 0-1 Spain (3C)
Colombia (1F) 3-1 South Africa (2E)

USA (1E) v Italy (2D)
Morocco (1C) v South Korea (3B)

Paraguay (2B) 0-1 Norway (2F)
Japan (1A) 0-1 France (3E)

 

I'd prefer us to play Colombia rather than Argentina in the final.

 

Today wasn't a good day for Mexico. Their U20 lost 2-0 to Argentina and their senior side took a shellacking of 4-0 to Colombia.

 

Yeah, Argentina baited Mexico into that 2nd YC, and then Mexico just lost it and started hacking.