There were 24 teams to start and now there are 16 and less every day in the FIFA men’s U-20 World Cup.
The U.S. is among those teams in the knock-out round, after posting a 2-1 record in the group stage. The qualifiers:
● Group A: 1. Senegal (2-0-1); 2. Colombia (2-1); 3. Poland (1-1-1)
● Group B: 1. Italy (2-0-1); 2. Japan (1-0-2); 3. Ecuador (1-1-1).
● Group C: 1. Uruguay (3-0); 2. New Zealand (2-1).
● Group D: 1. Ukraine (2-0-1); 2. United States (2-1); 3. Nigeria (1-1-1).
● Group E: 1. France (3-0); 2. Mali (1-1-1); 3. Panama (1-1-1).
● Group F: 1. Argentina (2-1); 2. South Korea (2-1).
The U.S. lost its opening game to Ukraine, 2-1, but rallied with wins over Nigeria (2-0) and Qatar (1-0).
The Round of 16 will be held on 2-3-4 June, with Colombia defeating New Zealand on penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie, and Italy defeated host Poland, 1-0:
Upper bracket:
● Colombia d. New Zealand, 1-1 (5-4 penalties) and Ukraine vs. Panama
● Italy d. Poland, 1-0 and Argentina vs. Mali
Lower bracket:
● France vs. U.S. and Uruguay vs. Ecuador
● Japan vs. South Korea and Senegal vs. Nigeria
The quarterfinals will be played on 7-8 June; the semifinals on 11 June and the medal matches on 14 June (bronze) and 15 June (championship).
The scoring race has likely been ended in an awful Group C game in which Norway’s Erling Haland scored nine goals in a 12-0 rout of Honduras, including the last one in the 90th minute. Fittingly, neither team advanced to the elimination round.
Look for results here.
