Ecuador is the host and the Championship stars in january. Here is the draw' s result : Group A : Ecuador - Colombia - Argentina - Paraguay - Peru Group B : Brazil - Venezuela - Chile - Uruguay - Bolivia Only two representatives of the South American zone will qualify to the WC.
The winners of the two groups, or there will be crossed semifinals to decide the teams? I notice it's a shame that Brazil and Venezuela are in the same group. Especially if Deyna Castellanos is still eligible for U-20 NT (is she?).
Exactly top 2 teams of each group go to a final group all against all. The u-20 Team Venezuela disappointed in the las Bolivarian games in Colombia, lossing 2-0 against Ecuador , 1-0 against Colombia, a 0-0 draw with Peru and only two wins against Bolivia. Deyna Castellanos was no part of the team For the qualifers fortunately Deyna Castellanos confirmed her participation , together with Daniuska Ramirez. In any case it will no be easy, the South American teams are very close lately.
Calendar of matches of the first round : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_South_American_Under-20_Women's_Football_Championship Colombia and Venezuela will have to overcome a difficult calendar of their respective groups.
According to FIFA "The South American qualifiers will take place from 13 to 31 January 2018 in Ecuador. The ten nations will be divided into two groups, with the top two from each progressing to the second round. The final four will then feature in a round-robin format with the top two to qualify for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018." 6 games in 18 days ! crazy, survival of the fittest rather than the best football teams.
Wow! Last seasons, at least at senior level, had persuaded me that women's football looked more developed in Colombia than in Paraguay: I wouldn't have expect such a score!
These two teams met in the U17 tournament of 2016 and the players are almost the same. On that occasion Paraguay defeated Colombia 2-1. However a 1-6 is always an unexpected result for Colombia.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1854475164594632 #VIDEO | Este fue el gol de Deyna Castellanos, con el que la Vinotinto femenina sub-20 superó hoy (1-0) a Uruguay en el Sudamericano. pic.twitter.com/P6y8FYrG8Q— Vinotinto Femenina (@FemeninoFVF) January 15, 2018
Deyna! It's her again: who else? I guess such a player could take the team through this qualifiying tournament almost alone!
Group A table 1 Paraguay 3 pts pl 1 +5 2 Peru 3 pts pl 1 +1 3 Argentina 3 pts pl 2 0 4 Columbia 3 pts pl 2 -2 5 Ecuador 0 pt pl 2 -4
Group B Chile 5 Bolivia 0 Brazil 2 Venezuela 0 Table 1. Brazil 6 pts pl2 +5 2. Chile 3 pts pl 2 +2 3. Venezuela 3 pts pl 2 -1 4. Uruguay 0 pt pl 1 -2 5. Bolivia 0 pt pl 1 -5
Colombia and Paraguay closer to the Final Round. Argentina still with chance. Group A results : Colombia 9-0 Peru Ecuador 0-2 Paraguay
Group A table 1 Columbia 6 pts pl 3 +7 2 Paraguay 6 pts pl 2 +7 3 Argentina 3 pts pl 2 0 4 Peru 3 pts pl 2 -8 5 Ecuador 0 pt pl 3 -6
I anyway get the feeling that the groups were quite unbalanced and this Group A is less tight than Group B. Am I wrong? I am basing on what I saw at youth and senior levels in past years, but I actually don't know much about this generation of U-20, apart from those that I watched play at U-17 or U-20 WWCs as Castellanos or Rodriguez for Venezuela.
Group B Table 1. Brazil 9 pts pl 3 +8 2. Venezuela 4 pts pl 3 -1 3. Chile 3 pts pl 2 +2 4. Bolivia 1 pt pl 2 -5 5. Uruguay 0 pt pl 2 -5
Latest generations of Chilean players weren't bad in the recent past: I wonder if this iteration have the strength to beat Venezuela. At the moment they have a game in hand, but I guess the direct match will tell the truth of this story.
It was one of the games that I liked the most. Venezuela attacked tirelessly, but they found a Bolivian mountain in the arch and a terrible referee very complacent with the cheeky lost time of the players of the altiplano. I guees Chile will also use a wall, because a draw suits them.