Semi Final of FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009 - - Pre-Match Analysis Ghana Vs. Hungary: A Clash of Two Different Styles

It is semi-final time at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009 and the opening last-four encounter brings together an adventurous Ghana side and their disciplined opponents from Hungary at the Cairo International Stadium.

The game
Ghana-Hungary, Tuesday 13 October, Cairo, 16:30 (local time)

The stakes
It is no easy task to pick a favourite from two teams boasting diametrically opposed styles. African champions Ghana have been seducing Egyptian crowds for the past two weeks with their constant hunger to get forward, and with six-goal top scorer Dominic Adiyiah in their ranks, not to mention Ransford Osei and Andre Ayew, it is easy to understand why. That approach has made for entertainment at both ends of the pitch, in fact, with Ghana having conceded six goals in five outings.

As for Hungary, their strengths so far have been rigour and discipline, although it would be a mistake to believe that Sandor Egervari's troops are obsessed with the defensive arts. The coach is set to watch this match from the stands, but once again he will have instructed his players to win possession of the ball as quickly as possible and create chances for talented forward Krisztian Nemeth.

More worryingly, fatigue could yet prove a factor after the Magyars were taken to penalties by the Czech Republic in the Round of 16, winning 4-3 after a 2-2 draw, and contested another 120 minutes before downing Italy 3-2 in the quarter-finals. They will also be deprived the services of midfield organiser Vladimir Koman.

The stat
37 - It is 37 years since Hungary last reached the semi-finals of a major football tournament. At the 1972 UEFA European Championship in Belgium, they succumbed 1-0 to the USSR, before taking the silver medal at the Munich Olympics following their 2-1 loss to Poland in the final.

The words
"We're happy to have reached the semi-finals. Ghana is the last African team still involved and we'll fight to make the whole continent proud. We'll give everything to return home with the global crown. We mustn't fail," Sellas Tetteh, Ghana coach.

"We'll have to prepare scrupulously for this match. Whether we're talking about their results or their performances, Ghana have been one of the best teams in the tournament up until now. The suspension of our captain, Vladimir Koman, makes my task even more complicated," Sandor Egervari, Hungary coach.

Semi Final of FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009 - - Costa Rica Will Take on Brazil: A Pre-Match Analysis

Sixteen days after their opening match-up in Group E, Brazil and Costa Rica are once again set to lock horns in the FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009. This time, however, the stakes are much higher, with the winner earning a place in the final while the loser will contest the match for third place. Although the Seleção strolled to a 5-0 win on 27 September in Port Said, this time they will face Costa Rica at Cairo International Stadium, the scene of two epic Tico victories in the previous knockout rounds.

The game
Brazil-Costa Rica, Cairo, Tuesday 13 October, 20:00 (local time)

The stakes
Although Brazil were in clinical form in the teams' group-stage encounter in Port Said, the 5-0 scoreline somewhat flattered them. Costa Rica created several goalscoring opportunities but ultimately paid a high price for taking on Brazil toe-to-toe, as well as some wayward finishing. But Roland Gonzalez's charges showed their mettle by going on to knock out hosts Egypt and then UAE, with almost the entire crowd against them on both occasions.

Still, even if Los Ticos can correct the mistakes from that opening defeat, it still may not be enough. The South Americans have shown their ability to come out on top in many different situations, and always seem capable of providing something special when it counts. All in all, Tuesday's rematch is set to be worlds apart from the pair's group-stage clash a fortnight ago - what remains to be seen is who will have the final word.

The stat
9 - The number of times the same fixture has been played twice in a single FIFA U-20 World Cup. Two of the nine involved Brazil, who emerged victorious in all four encounters: in 1985 they beat Spain 2-0 in the group stage and 1-0 in the final, while in 1989 they saw off USA 3-1 in the groups and then 2-0 in the match for third place. For Costa Rica, however, this is an entirely new experience.

The words
"We've already beaten Costa Rica in this tournament, but this will be a completely different match. I don't think they'll make the same mistakes as they did before. It'll be interesting to see how things turn out second time round," Maicon, Brazil forward.

"We need to be more canny than we were in the first game, and above all, put away our chances. We can't let their mistakes go unpunished again, as they will punish you every time, as we found to our cost. One thing I'm sure of is that it won't be an easy game for them," Marcos Urena, Costa Rica forward.

UAE Flying High Before a Fall - - A Last-Gasp Goal From Marcos Urena Booked Costa Rica a Place in The Semi-Finals of Egypt 2009

A last-gasp goal from Marcos Urena booked Costa Rica a place in the semi-finals of Egypt 2009 after they came from behind to defeat UAE 2-1 in Cairo. In the day's second quarter-final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, Los Ticos followed in the footsteps of Brazil, who overcame a one-goal deficit to reach the final four.

The first half only contained a few noteworthy incidents as both sides largely cancelled each other out, but it did contain two goals. Costa Rica had the game's first effort when Bryan Oviedo fired wide of Yousif Abdulrahman's right hand post and Ahmed Khalil also saw an effort drift off target, although his chance was closer to troubling the keeper than the previous one.

Khalil was instrumental in the game's opening goal in the 33rd minute. Picking up the ball on the right flank, he powered past Roy Smith and squared the ball across the six-yard box, where Ahmed Ali got ahead of David Guzman and put the ball past Esteban Alvarado.

However, four minutes later, Costa Rica were level. UAE were given a warning earlier in the half when Smith rose unmarked, but they didn't learn their lesson quickly enough. Oviedo put in the perfect cross from the left and Josue Martinez jumped well before powering a textbook header into the top corner, leaving Abdulrahman with no chance.

Chances dried up after the interval. Sultan Al Menhali delayed a shot when well placed which allowed the Costa Rican defence to clear. Then, at the other end, Cristian Gamboa slipped the ball to Marcos Urena, who fired across the face of goal.

UAE's attacking potency was dealt a blow when Ahmed Ali limped off after 67 minutes, and his replacement, Ali Mabkhoot missed a glorious chance which would have surely sealed a win in normal time for his side. With three minutes remaining, he capitalised on a slip from Jose Mena and found himself with the keeper to beat.

From an acute angle, but with a considerable gap to aim at, the Al Jazira forward fired into the side netting and that was the last chance of the game. Extra time beckoned and the crowd in Cairo did not have too long to wait to see UAE go close once again. It was Khalil who almost put his side in front when he powered in a right footed shot which was inches away from hitting the target.

In the second period of extra time, Khalil and Hamdan Al Kamali stung the palms of Alvarado with shots from outside the box and both Mabkhoot and Al Kamali went close with long-range efforts. With two minutes to go, Mohamed Fawzi was shown a straight red card for a two-footed lunge and, with the brief numerical advantage, Costa Rica took advantage.

A long free-kick from the left back position was pumped into the box and Al Kamali tried to head it back to the keeper, without noticing Allen Guevara bearing down on goal. His first-time effort was well saved by Abdulrahman, but parried into the path of Marcos Urena, whose shot sailed into the back of the net.

It means a semi-final repeat of the Group E clash between Brazil and Costa Rica, which A Seleção won 5-0 in Port Said.

'The Final Before The Final' - - 77th-minute Strike from Maicon Led Brazil Cruised in to Semi Finals of U-20 WC Defeating European Champion Germany

Brazil needed two goals from substitute Maicon as they came from behind to beat Germany 2-1 in their quarter-final match in Cairo. The 77th-minute replacement for Boquita grabbed his first goals of the tournament as A Seleção progressed to the last four.

In a match between the European champions and the South American champions which some had described as 'the final before the final', both teams had chances to win the game in the opening 90 minutes, although it was Germany who asked the majority of the questions. Semih Aydilek, suspended for the Round of 16 match against Nigeria, fired a tame shot at Rafael when presented with a one-on-one opportunity inside the opening ten minutes and Lars Bender also fired a shot just wide of the post from the edge of the box.

The best chance of the half came just before the half-time whistle when Aydilek's cut back found Richard Sukuta-Pasu lurking in the box, but he should have done a lot better as he fired the ball tamely into Rafael's hands. The same could be said of Alex Teixeira, who simply passed to Ron-Robert Zieler when he was bearing down on goal.

The game opened up in the second half and once again Sukuta-Pasu spurned a golden opportunity to make it 1-0, getting the ball tangled in his feet in the penalty area with just the keeper to beat. Giuliano's overhead kick was comfortable for Zieler, but the German keeper did not feel as comfortable when Douglas Costa's drive from the edge of the box went just wide.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 73rd minute when Aydilek put in a perfect cross for Lewis Holtby, who headed the ball into the net while under pressure from two Brazilian defenders. However, despite the late goal, Brazil refused to lie down. Alex Teixeira had a deflected shot that went just wide and then, with just two minutes to go, the equaliser came.

Alex Teixeira slipped a delightful ball through to Maicon and his right-footed finish beat Zieler at his near post. There was still time for Douglas Costa to rattle the bar in the final minute of added time, but an additional 30 minutes was needed to separate the sides. With just 45 seconds of the first period of extra time gone, a long ball from the back was left by Lars Bender, who failed to notice Maicon lurking beside him.

The Fluminense forward finished beautifully and despite a spell of German pressure, it turned out to be the winning goal. Brazil now face the winners of the Costa Rica-UAE game in the semi-finals and will play two more games in Cairo before they head for home.

Last 16 Round: Hungary Vs. Czech Republic - - Peter Gulasci's Heroic Saves Lead Hungary to Quarter Finals of FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt

Peter Gulasci emerged as Hungary's hero as he saved a hat-trick of spot-kicks as his side defeated Czech Republic 4-3 on penalties to set up a quarter-final showdown with Italy in Suez on Friday.

The Liverpool keeper denied Lukas Marecek, Jan Moravek and Radim Reznik during the shoot-out to send Hungary through to the last eight of a FIFA competition for the first time since the 1985 U-17 World Cup, and leave Czech Republic, the runners-up in 2007, heading for home.

This was an even game in which both sides took turns to dominate play. Adam Presinger struck the woodwork with an intelligent free-kick in the early stages and with Hungary asking the questions, they took advantage of their dominance in the 15th minute when Mate Kiss hit a stunning right-foot shot which flew into the top corner of the net.

However, Czech Republic were level 11 minutes later as they took their first real chance of the game. Tomas Fabian put in a cross from the left and Jan Vosahlik was in the right place at the right time to glance a close range header past Gulacsi.

It was all Czech Republic for the remainder of the first half, as they dominated their European neighbours in terms of territory and possession. Marecek was disappointed with himself as he blazed a shot well over the crossbar from the edge of the box.

Hungary thought that they had taken the lead for the second time in the match, but scorer Vosahlik headed the ball off the line to deny Vladimir Koman what would have been a certain goal. Fabian forced Gulacsi into a fine save with a low shot, while Vosahlik also saw a header go off-target.

Krisztian Nemeth created a good opportunity for himself, but dragged his shot wide, while Marecek was wasteful once again when he fired over after substitute Michael Rabusic had set him up as extra time beckoned.

It took just two minutes for the Czechs to take the lead in the first period of extra time. Martin Zeman put a good cross into the box, which Vosahlik headed on for Rabusic to power the ball into the net. Yet, seven minutes later, Hungary drew level with a goal as every bit as special as their first.

A foul on Nemeth gave Hungary a free-kick in a dangerous position and Koman was determined to take the resulting set piece. The captain stood over the ball and hit a precise right footed shot, which curled over the wall and dipped just beyond the despairing dive of Vaclik.

Reznik should have made it 3-2 for Czech Republic in the 107th minute. Jan Lecjacks crossed from the left, which evaded the Hungarian defence and dropped nicely for the substitute ten yards from goal. He had time to place his shot, but rushed his effort, which trickled wide of the far post. That was the game's last major chance and soon afterwards, it was time for penalties.

Hungary's goalscorers Presinger and Koman both scored from the spot, as did Andras Gosztonyi, while Rabusic, Ondrei Celustka and Vosahlik were on target for the Czechs, but thanks to two misses apiece the shoot-out moved into sudden death. Gulasci produced a superb one-handed save to keep Reznik's effort out and when Adam Balajti sent Vaclik the wrong way, these two formidable European sides had finally been separated.

Last 16 Round: Ghana Vs. South Africa - - Dominic Adiyiah Put Ghana Through to The Qarter Finals; As Ghana Overcome South Africa With Scoreline of 2-1

A wonderful strike from Dominic Adiyiah put Ghana through to the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009 after they came from behind to defeat South Africa 2-1 in Ismailia.

From the very first whistle, both sides signalled their attacking intent and although South Africa had the better opportunities in the first half, Ghana also had their chances too. Ransford Osei and Adiyiah combined well on the edge of the box before the latter blazed over the bar, while Abeiku Quansah saw his well-struck free-kick well saved by Darren Peet.

However, South Africa raised their game midway through the half. Helped by the fact that Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu was sitting deep and the Ghanaians were missing the energy of the suspended Mohammed Rabiu, the Amajita's midfield trio of Dylon Claasen, Kamohelo Mokotjo and Thulani Serero began to see more of the ball and dominate proceedings.

Kermit Erasmus had their first real chance after twisting and turning his marker and firing a low shot straight at Daniel Agyei. Shortly afterwards, Sameehg Doutie's throw-in was too high for Erasmus, but went straight through to Sibusiso Khumalo, who struck a low drive which the keeper gathered at the second attempt.

Agyei then pulled off three fine saves to keep the scoreline level. First, he tipped Serero's curling free-kick over the bar and then denied Doutie's with another acrobatic stop when the South African's dipping shot from the right flank looked destined to creep into the top corner. Then, with the same player clean through on goal, the Liberty stopper rushed off his line to save bravely at the forward's feet.

There were further warning signs for Ghana when Thulani Hlatshwayo headed just wide from Serero's corner and at the other end Peet did well to block Adyiah's shot from close range. Sellas Tetteh would have been the happier of the two coaches to have heard the half-time whistle. However, it was South Africa who started the second half the brighter of the teams.

Substitute Mandla Masango fired narrowly over from the edge of the box and when Ghana failed to clear Claasen's corner in the 57th minute, Erasmus forced Agyei into a low save. A minute later, Erasmus made Ghana pay for another defensive lapse. Springing the Black Satellites' offside trap, Erasmus brilliantly controlled Khumalo's quick free-kick, rounded the keeper and slotted home.

With 32 minutes remaining, Ghana poured men forward in search of an equaliser, but found their route to goal increasingly congested. However, after winning a free-kick on the left hand side, David Addy whipped in the perfect ball, which Andre Ayew deflected past Peet and into the net. Following the goal, Ghana used the flanks to good effect, with Addy and Samuel Inkoom providing the ammunition, but Adiyiah and Osei failed to test the keeper.

Osei was replaced at the final whistle by Opoku Agyemang, but it was the Satellites other striker Adiyiah who was at the centre of things in the first period of extra time. First, Inkoom supplied him with a tremendous through ball, but he saw his low shot saved. However, in the 99th minute, after receiving the ball from Addy with his back to goal, he turned sharply and fired the ball high into the net from the 25 yards.

The striker went close on two further occasions in extra time, first when he was inches away from turning Addy's cross into the goal and then when he forced a brilliant save from Peet with a rising drive from the edge of the box. By this stage, the Amajita were visibly tiring and struggled to get out of their own half in the second period, but were given brief hope with the sending off of Agyemang for a second bookable offence.

However, Ghana held out to set up a clash with Korea Republic in Suez on Friday and watching coach Hong Myung-Bo will know that his side have a real battle on their hands against the African champions.

Last 16 Round: Egypt Vs. Costa Rica - - The Host Couldn't Make It To Quarter Finals; As Costa Rica Crushes Egypt by 2-0

Egypt are out of the FIFA U-20 World Cup after a shock 2-0 defeat to Costa Rica in the last 16. Jose Mena's first half header and Marcos Urena's late winner sealed a quarter-final place for the jubilant Ticos, who benefited from a limp and nervous performance from the hosts in front of an expectant Cairo International Stadium.

There was little in the early exchanges to hint at any danger for the Young Pharaohs, with some dreadful Costa Rican defending presenting Mohamed Talaat with a chance as early as the fifth minute. The Egypt No9 bustled his way through but sliced wide as he and team-mate Ahmed Shoukri got in each other's way.

Still the chances came, however. Slack marking has been a recurring problem for Los Ticos at this tournament and it nearly cost them dearly on 19 minutes, when Talaat was permitted a free header that would have ended up in the bottom corner had it not been for an excellent save from Esteban Alvarado. Yet, just two minutes later, and completely against the run of play, Costa Rica stormed into the lead. David Guzman delivered an inviting free-kick from the right, and when the ball was flicked on, captain Jose Mena stole in at the back post to send a superb diving header crashing into the roof of the net.

With the capacity crowd stunned into silence, Egypt attempted a swift salvage mission but were all too often thwarted by their own nervousness. Captain Ahmed Shoukri at least attempted to lead by example, showing great skill to wrong foot his marker before curling a well-struck left-foot shot just over with 16 minutes of the first half remaining. Talaat also found himself denied by Alvarado once again as the interval approached, although the majority of Egypt's attacks floundered due to a lack of composure in the final third.

This edginess continued to afflict the hosts at the start of the second half, and they were fortunate not to find themselves two down four minutes after the restart, when Diego Madrigal slipped a shot wide of the far post after racing clear of the Young Pharaohs' defence. Costa Rica continued to threaten on the break, and with Egypt impotent at the other end, the home fans were becoming increasingly frustrated. And the situation nearly went from bad to worse with 15 minutes remaining, when Diego Estrada blazed over from inside the box after Hosam Hassan had miskicked wildly.

Egypt had created nothing whatsoever at this stage of the second half, but they belatedly provided their fans with some excitement when substitute Mostafa Galal headed inches wide after rising highest to meet an Afroto corner. Afroto himself tried his luck with a late free-kick that Alvarado acrobatically clawed away, but all doubt was removed with just two minutes remaining when Estrada played in Marcos Urena to smash a brilliant winner high into the far corner of the net.

Costa Rica can now look forward to a quarter-final against the winner of Venezuela's last 16 tie with UAE, while Egypt are left to ponder where it all went wrong.

Last 16 Round: Italy Vs. Spain - - Italy's 2-1 Win Over Spain Would Help Them to Proceed For Quarter Finals

Italy took their place in the quarter-finals with a dramatic 2-1 win over ten-man Spain at Cairo's Al Salam Stadium. The excellent Andrea Mazzarani emerged as the hero, scoring one and setting up another, while Vincenzo Fiorillo saved a late penalty as Gli Azzurrini survived a spirited onslaught from their European rivals.

Spain deserved credit for staying with their opponents long after Alberto Botio had seen red for a rash first-half lunge, but the Italians are past masters at closing out victories in the knockout phase and rose to the occasion with their best performance thus far. Their intentions became clear from as early as the ninth minute, when a superb flowing move ended with Mazzarani teeing up Fabio Sciacca for a low shot that skidded into the side-netting.

Spain were already struggling to gain a foothold in the game when Botio was given his marching orders for an ugly tackle on Mattia Mustacchio, although they might have taken the lead six minutes into the second half when Aaron Niguez smashed a right-foot shot just over from 20 yards.

However, this merely provided the spark for the most exciting - and, for Spain, costly - period of the game, with Mazzarani slipping Mustacchio to prod Italy into the lead the very next minute as Spain conceded their first goal of the tournament. They almost hit back straight from the kick-off, with Niguez again the man to try his luck from distance and Fiorillo this time forced to tip the ball on to the face of the bar.

Niguez held his head in his hands and, within five minutes, it looked to be all over for La Roja as Mazzarani took advantage of a misjudgement from Oriel Romeu to bustle his way through and poked a right-foot shot beyond Sergio Asenjo. However, a frantic finish was assured when Michelangelo Albertazzi needlessly tugged back Andre Herreira in the box, conceding a penalty from which Niguez cheekily the ball past the committed Fiorillo.

There were 25 minutes still remaining at this stage, but Fiorillo was to have his revenge, guessing right to save a second penalty from Niguez after the Celta Vigo winger had been taken down by Matteo Brusagin. All doubt was removed soon after when Mustacchio raced clear in the left channel to complete the scoring with a precise, low left-foot drive.

Egypt Vs. Italy - - An Unforgettable Night in Cairo as Egypt Advances to Last 16 After Defeating Italy

An unforgettable night in Cairo ended with Egypt advancing to the last 16 as Group A winners after Bogy came off the bench to settle a six-goal thriller with Italy. The Zamalek striker provided the decisive contribution following an earlier brace by Ahmed Shoukri to finish off an Azzurrini side who go through by virtue of their position as one of the best third-placed teams.

A frantic opening set the pattern for the most dramatic and exciting match of the tournament thus far, with Italy's Antonio Mazzotta firing wide from the angle of the box inside the opening couple of minutes.

Egypt were clearly nervous, but steadily grew into the game and created their first chance when Ahmed Shoukri cut inside from the right but failed to find the target with a shot that lacked conviction. However, if that was a disappointing effort from the Pharaohs No10, he more than made amends six minutes later with a brilliant opening goal.

Not for the first, or last time, Italy failed to clear their lines effectively, and Shoukri met the ball first time to send a rocket of a left-foot shot skidding along the turf and in at the helpless keeper's left-hand post. The stadium erupted and yet, within six minutes, there was only silence as Italy restored parity.

Aly Mohamed was the villain of the piece, mis-kicking his clearance, although credit must go to Umberto Eusepi for an ice-cool finish into the far corner from six yards. If Egypt were rocked by that equaliser, it didn't show. Soon, they were on the attack again and it was no more than they deserved when Shoukri restored their lead in first half stoppage time.

Again, the Italy defence were caught napping, and the Al Ahly youngster took full advantage with a shot that spun into the net via a wicked deflection. The hosts looked to be in command at this stage, but despite starting the second half the stronger, they found themselves pegged back again just seven minutes after the re-start. They had no-one to blame but themselves either, having allowed substitute Michelangelo Albertazzi to sneak in unmarked at a corner and direct a precise header into the bottom corner.

The situation called for a hero, and Egypt found one in Bogy. The Zamalek striker's fairy tale began when he scored with his very first touch, heading home with 20 minutes remaining after Italy made a hash of clearing their lines.

Then, ten minutes later, the same player sealed a memorable victory with a goal fit to win any game. Taking the ball on his chest with his back to goal, he cushioned it into his path before blasting a brilliant volley beyond the grasp of the Italian keeper.

Egypt will now march on confidently to the last 16, where they can look forward to a return to a packed Cairo International Stadium on 6 October against one of the best third-placed teams.

Paraguay Vs. Trinidad and Tobago - - Goalless Draw Leads Paraguay to Last 16; While Trinidad and Tobago earned Their First Point in FIFA U-20 WC

A goalless draw between Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago in Cairo was enough to see the South Americans qualify for the last 16 as the second-placed team in Group A, while Trinidad and Tobago deservedly picked up their first point of the competition in their final game.

With his team already qualified from the last matchday, Adrian Coria made no fewer than six changes to his starting line-up from the team that defeated Egypt, which was reflected in the cohesion of his team's performance.

For all Paraguay's pressure and possession in the first half, they did not create many chances. Indeed, their best opportunity of the half came in the opening ten minutes, when Aldo Paniagua's shot from just inside the box forced Joel Silva into a great save. Hernan Perez also had a shot from the edge of the box, but it whistled past the left hand post.

Trinidad and Tobago had to wait until midway through the first half for their first attempt when Khaleem Hyland's shot went just wide. Four minutes later, Robert Primus headed just over from a free-kick as their confidence grew. This rise in self-belief was confirmed when Jake Thomson tried to beat the keeper from a full 40 yards, but it again went wide.

As the half drew to a close, Paniagua, Paraguay's matchwinner against Egypt, was at the heart of two good opportunities for the South Americans. Firstly, he saw a right foot shot flash across the face of goal and then set-up Luis Paez, who headed his cross over the bar.

Paraguay had most of the ball after the break, but both sides lacked fluency and as a result failed to create many clear-cut chances. A long-range drive from Celso Ortiz forced Glenroy Samuel into a scrambling stop. Ortiz had another crack from distance, which whistled just wide.

Silva almost put his side into trouble when he came rushing off his line to collect a loose ball, but failed to reckon with the pace of Juma Clarence, who got their first only to knock his cheeky lob over the bar. Celso Ortiz forced Samuel into another save in the final minute, which the United Petrolin goalkeeper gathered at the second attempt.

The supporters at the Al Salam Stadium did have some goals to cheer, but they were Egypt's in the hosts' 4-2 victory over Italy, which gave Paraguay second spot in Group A, setting up a clash with Group C's second place team in Cairo on Monday 5 October.

UAE Vs. Honduras - - Alexandria Witnesssed "Fly Emirates" to Last 16 With 1-0 Victroy Against Honduras

Ahmed Khalil's 41st minute free-kick gave UAE a single goal victory over Honduras in a match which saw both sides reduced to ten men. Played in front of a noisy crowd in Alexandria, the majority of who were behind UAE, Mahdi Rehda's side achieved what they wanted from the game, namely a place in the last 16.

UAE started the game with confidence, presumably with the memory of their late comeback against South Africa still fresh in their minds. The dominated the game from the first whistle and created an excellent chance in the 17th minute when Theyab Awana ghosted in at the far post and went inches wide with a header.

The teams then exchanged chances. With 25 minutes on the clock, Mario Martinez found himself with the ball on the edge of the area, took a touch and with his head down struck the ball with venom. Yousif Abdulrahman had to be alert to palm the ball away. UAE had a great chance to open the scoring a minute later when Ahmed Ali found himself unmarked in the six yard box, but aimed his header straight at Francisco Reyes, with the rest of the target at his mercy.

Shortly after the half hour mark, Abdulrahman then spilled a Mario Martinez shot on to the post, which should have been dealt with comfortably. UAE's nerves were settled four minutes before the break when Khalil's well-struck free-kick went over the wall, bounced before the keeper and hit the back of the net. It was a fair reflection on the first half, with UAE territorially dominant and looking competent when in possession.

Khalil almost made it 2-0 in the 55th minute when a free-kick similar to the last almost snook in to the bottom corner of Reyes' goal, but the keeper was alert to the danger and saved well. From then on, the game fizzled out as a spectacle as UAE did well to nullify Honduras' attacking threat. The central Americans stepped up the pace in added time although Reinieri Mayorquin curled a shot which went narrowly wide, it was too little too late.

Both sides were reduced to ten men in the latter stages when Mayorquin and Ali were involved in a needless, unseemly exchange, which sadly ended the game on a disappointing note. Honduras must now pick up a point in their final game against South Africa to make sure of their spot in the next round.

Brazil Vs. Czech - - Disappointment for The Seleção Goalfest Fans: Golaless Draw Leads Both Teams to Last 16

Brazil and Czech Republic are through to the last 16 at Egypt 2009 after the 2007 finalists successfully subdued their South American rivals in a drab 0-0 draw in Port Said. The stalemate might have disappointed the 17,000 fans who had turned up expecting another Seleção goalfest, but there was much to admire in the defensive masterclass delivered by Jakub Dovalil's resolute Czechs.

The surprises had begun with the line-ups, as Dovalil caught everyone off guard by making five changes to the team that had beaten Australia 2-1 in their previous match. Arguably his biggest decision was in dropping Michael Rabusic, scorer of their opening goal against the Aussies, to hand Tomas Pekhart his first start in three months in the physically demanding role of lone striker. Sadly, it was a gamble which backfired badly.

Pekhart, one of the stars of the last FIFA U-20 World Cup, was forced from the field inside 25 minutes with what appeared to be a recurrence of the metatarsal injury that had kept him out since July. Yet although this particular selection choice came back to haunt Dovalil, the match as a whole could only be described as a tactical triumph for the Czech coach.

It might not have been pretty, but his defensive gameplan ensured that a Brazil team that had put five goals past Costa Rica did not manage a single effort on target throughout the entire first half. It spoke volumes that the South Americans' best effort during this period was a wayward 20-yard shot from Souza that sailed high and wide of Tomas Vaclik's goal.

The Czechs were offering even less at the other end, but with a draw evidently their objective, the onus was on Rogerio Lourenco's side to push forward in search of a deadlock-breaking goal. After the break, they did so with gusto, coming close in 58 minutes when Giuliano slalomed his way past three Czech challenges before firing a ferocious right-foot shot just over the crossbar.

A couple of minutes later, they came closer still, when Alex Texeira rattled the face of the crossbar with a measured side-foot volley from the left-hand edge of the area. As the half wore on, Rogerio went for broke by playing his wildcard, Douglas Costa, but it was to no avail as the Czechs held out comfortably for a share of the spoils.

The result leaves Group E's joint-leaders locked on four points ahead of the final matchday, with Costa Rica a point behind in third and Australia anchored to the bottom after two successive defeats.

Costa Rica Vs. Australia - - Spirited 3-0 Victroy Over Australia Revive The Hopes of Costa Rica for Last 16

Costa Rica bounced back from their 5-0 defeat to Brazil with a spirited and well deserved 3-0 win over ten-man Australia in Port Said. While reviving Tico hopes of a place in the last 16, the result all but dooms the Young Socceroos to an early exit after two successive Group E losses.

With both sides insisting pre-match that this was a must-win game, it was understandable that nerves and tension played their part in what was, in truth, a dull and uninspiring encounter. Costa Rica created the best of what few chances there were, with Diego Estrada twisting into a shooting position after 13 minutes only to lean back and blaze over.

Poor finishing had been the Central Americans' undoing against Brazil and there were indications that the same problem might cause their downfall for a second time when Estrada again wasted some fine approach play by tugging a left-foot shot wide.



Then, out of nothing, Costa Rica finally found the way to goal. And what a goal it was. Danger had appeared minimal when Diego Madrigal took in a short free-kick with his back to goal, but in one lithe movement, the Tico No11 spun his marker and unleashed an unstoppable right-foot shot that flew in off the inside of the post from 20 yards.

Australia could have no complaints, and they had Dean Bouzanis to thank for keeping the half-time score at 1-0 after the Liverpool keeper stuck out a foot to deny the speedy Josue Martinez. At the other end, the Young Socceroos were once again proving toothless in attack, and their cause wasn't helped when substitute Tahj Minniecon was sent off within five minutes of entering the fray following a petulant off-the-ball incident.

The situation called for that famous Aussie fighting spirit, but aside from a Mitch Nicholls' free-kick that flashed narrowly wide and a tame James Holland header, there were precious few nervy moments for Los Ticos as they held on comfortably against the ten men.

Sadly, it took an own goal to put the outcome beyond doubt with eight minutes remaining, when the unfortunate Luke Devere attempted to head the ball back Bouzanis and instead sent the ball looping into the unguarded net. And there was even time for salt to be added to Aussie wounds when David Guzman added a well-taken third in injury time, curling the ball beyond the helpless Bouzanis from just inside the box.

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Uzbekistan Vs. Uruguay - - Tabare Viudez Was Again Centre of Attraction in 3-0 Victory as Uruguay Qualified for Last 16 of Egypt 2009

Uruguay strolled to a 3-0 win over an Uzbekistan side forced to play the majority of the match with ten men to put one foot in the last 16 at Egypt 2009.

La Celeste completely dominated; indeed, when the whistle blew for half-time, it was incredible that the score was only 1-0, as Diego Aguirre's side had hit the woodwork on no fewer than three occasions. Santiago Garcia clipped the outside of the upright after his outstretched boot made contact with the ball from an acute angle. Shortly after that, Mauricio Pereya clipped the top of the bar with a dipping long-range effort. Leandro Cabrera also saw his shot kept out by a lick of paint and Gaston Ramirez hit the inside of the post with a low drive that fizzed across the face of goal.

Uruguay laid siege to the central Asians' goal. Adrian Gunino went close, as did Garcia on a few occasions, but they were denied by some excellent goalkeeping by Sanjar Kuvvatov. In fact, it took something special to break the deadlock. Receiving the ball 25 yards from goal, Lodeiro looked up and hit a first time left-footed shot which sailed past the goalkeeper and into the net. A minute later, things became even worse for Uzbekistan when Gulom Urunov was shown a straight red card for a rash challenge on Diego Rodriguez.

In fact, during the 90 minutes, Uzbekistan were limited to just two chances: a low shot from Sanat Shikov, which Martin Rodriguez turned around the post, and a Darvron Mirzaev chance that the Wanderers keeper did well to keep out with his legs. At the other end, Sebastian Coates hit the bar with a header from a Jonathan Urretaviscaya corner.

Shortly after the hour-mark, Aguirre sent on Tabare Viudez, Uruguay's matchwinner from the 1-0 win over England, to replace Lodeiro, La Celeste's captain and goalscorer. His impact was almost instant. Receiving the ball on the right wing, he ran with pace at the Uzbek defence and crossed for Urretaviscaya to turn the ball home, which was a reversal of the combination that proved so deadly against the Three Lions.

Viudez was at the heart of the heart of things again when he slipped the ball to Garcia inside the area and he was brought down by Kuvvatov, who was booked for his troubles. The striker picked himself up to take the penalty, but hit the post for the second time in the match. However, the Nacional striker finally got his goal seven minutes from time when he reacted sharply to Coates's flick-on to steer the ball home.

Korea Vs. Germany - - Korea Manages To Keep Their Hopes Alive in Egypt 2009 With 1-1 Draw Against European Champions, Germany

Korea Republic kept their Egypt 2009 hopes alive by coming from behind to claim a thoroughly deserved 1-1 draw with Germany in Suez. The European champions remain on top of Group C, for now at least, but all that could change if Cameroon see off USA in the section's later kick-off.

The South Koreans knew that a win would breathe fresh life into their faltering campaign and started positively, monopolising possession and pinning the Germans back in their own half. They very nearly claimed an early lead too, with Park Hee-Seong beating Ron-Robert Zieler with a powerful header only to look on in agony as the ball bounced off the top of the crossbar and over.

It took 25 minutes for Germany to threaten at the other end, when Richard Sukuta-Pasu slid in at the back post and only just missed out as the ball flashed across the face of goal. The big No9 is making quite an impression in Egypt and eight minutes later he gave Germany the lead. Picking up the ball on the edge of the area, the Bayer Leverkusen striker showed some nifty footwork to shuffle away from from Kim Young-Gwon before drilling a low left-foot shot across the keeper and into the far corner of the net.

The European champions finished the first half on top but found themselves on the back foot once again following the restart. Indeed, Korea Republic should have been level inside seven minutes, when the unmarked Park fired straight at Zieler from 14 yards when a shot to either side of the keeper would surely have yielded a goal.

Undeterred, the Taeguk Warriors continued to press forward as the match wore on and finally got their reward with 19 minutes remaining. Min Woo-Kim somehow wriggled his way through the German rearguard, profiting from some calamitous defending along the way, before wrong-footing the keeper with a low left-foot shot.

USA Vs. Cameroon - - Bryan Arguez, Tony Taylor, Dilly Duka And Brian Ownby Share One Goal Each in American 4-1 Victory Over Cameroon

USA fired their way back into contention for a place in the last 16 at Egypt 2009 with a spirited 4-1 win over Cameroon in Suez. Goals either side of half-time from Bryan Arguez and Tony Taylor set the Americans on the road to a victory that was secured by a goal of the tournament contender from Dilly Duka and a late Brian Ownby breakaway.

This was a game that only came to life in the second half after an opening period that offered plenty of commitment but few chances and precious little quality. Taylor missed arguably the best of those rare opportunities on 33 minutes, volleying over from 12 yards after the ball had dropped loose inside the area.

Yet, in first half stoppage time, the little forward more than made amends, unselfishly teeing up Arguez, who stabbed the ball into the roof of the net from close range. That gave the US a vital half-time lead and it was an advantage they doubled within three minutes of the re-start. This time Taylor was the man to profit from some selfless set-up play, tapping home from all of five yards after Duka had raced through, drawn the keeper and slipped the ball across.

USA were visibly growing in confidence at this stage and Brek Shea could have made the points safe on the hour-mark with a 20-yard drive that was kept out by some alert goalkeeping from Francois Beyekol. However, the Cameroon keeper was left helpless eight minutes later when the Americans moved out of sight with a goal of genuine quality.

Like everyone in the stadium, Beyekol was preparing for a cross when Duka looked up from the left touchline, but instead the US No10 ignored his team-mates to weight a brilliantly executed chip just inside the far post. The Stars and Stripes were home and dry, but it wasn't all plain sailing in the 23 minutes remaining. Taylor was stretchered off and, with 15 minutes remaining, Banana Yaya slotted home a penalty to spark a nervy finale.

However, the writing was already on the wall by the time Ownby raced clear to fire home a fourth US goal in injury time, angling a low drive beyond Beyekol's outstretched grasp. The result keeps Germany top of Group C and leaves all four sides in with a chance of claiming a top two spot ahead of the final round of matches.

Ghana Vs. England - - Ghana Advances as Andre Ayew Shines Again in a 4-0 Victory Against England

Andre Ayew's fantastic goal was the highlight for Ghana in a 4-0 victory over England which qualified them for the next stage and left the Three Lions staring an early exit firmly in the face.

The English were dealt a major blow on the eve of the game as a stomach virus had affected four members of the squad. First choice goalkeeper Jason Steele, left-back Matthew Briggs, holding midfielder Adam Clayton and Chelsea youngster Michael Woods were all forced to watch the game from the team hotel.

Yet despite these handicaps, England dominated the early exchanges, as Ghana struggled to get out of their half. As early as the ninth minute, they had a fantastic opportunity to take the lead when Kieran Trippier's perfectly delivered free-kick was flicked on by Ben Mee to Jonathan Obika, who rose above the Black Satellites defence but saw his header rebound off the crossbar.

Sellas Tetteh was blessed with the luxury of keeping the same team that defeated Uzbekistan 2-1 and Ghana swiftly got into their stride. Samuel Inkoom put in a great cross into the box which Adiyiah met with a header and Elliott Parish was less than convincing in gathering the ball. The left hand side of England's defence seem to have been targeted by the Africans and that particular channel was the source of their best moves.

There were warning signs when Mohammed Rabiu glanced a header wide from Ayew's free-kick and the captain embarked on a fine solo run, leaving Nana Ofori-Twumasi in his wake before firing into the side netting. By this stage, Ghana were dominating physically and territorially, and with England camped in their own half, central defender Martin Kelly was proving to be a real rock.

However, the Liverpool defender was powerless to deny Adiyiah from scoring in the 38th minute. Once again, Inkoom played a fine cross into the box and the striker took a tremendous first touch, which allowed him to turn sharply on his heels and power the ball into the net. It could have been two just before half-time, but Parish made a great save to frustrate Ransford Osei.

Like the first half, England started brightly and were unlucky not to equalise when Josh Walker's well-taken corner was met by Kelly on the volley, but the ball flew over. Just when it seemed as though England would create the pressure needed to produce the equaliser, Ghana doubled their advantage through a moment of magic from skipper Ayew.

The Marseille midfielder picked up the ball on the edge of the box and hit a rising left-foot shot past three England defenders and into the top corner of the net. While Ayew was hoisted aloft by his team-mates, Brian Eastick's gameplan had been ruined for the second time in as many games by a stunning goal.

Yet to their credit, both teams decided to push for goals; Ghana attempting to top the group on goals scored prior to their final group game with Uruguay, and England hoping to claw their way back into the game and keep their hopes of a place in the last 16 alive. Once again, it was that man Ayew who came close to having a final say, with his outrageous back heeled volley going over the bar.

With nine minutes to go, England suffered another slice of bad luck when Ransford Osei's goalbound shot took a wicked deflection of Mee to leave Parish wrong-footed. Ghana poured further salt on England's wounds by making it 4-0 in the 88th minute through Adiyiah, which gave the Black Satellites their biggest win in the FIFA U-20 World Cup and also handing England their heaviest defeat in the competition.

While Ghana now safely through to the last 16, they must now avoid defeat againt Uruguay to finish top of Group F and avoid a clash against the winners of Group E. England, meanwhile must do something they have not done in their past eight matches at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, namely score a goal and defeat Uzbekistan, probably by a considerable margin if they are to avoid elimination.

Venezula Vs. Tahiti - - Hat-tricks From Jonathan Del Valle And Jose Rondon Helped Venezula To Book Their Place in Last 16

Hat-tricks from Jonathan Del Valle and Jose Rondon saw Venezuela cruise to a 8-0 victory over a Tahiti side, who played the majority of the match with nine men to book their place in the last 16 of the competition.

Spain's earlier win over Nigeria meant that both Spanish-speaking sides cannot be overtaken in Group B and therefore qualification to the next phase is assured. La Vinotinto opened the scoring as early as the fourth minute, when Francisco Flores' cross from the left was headed home by Jose Rondon, who rose above the challenge of Jay Warren to loop the ball over Teheipuari Hauata.

Fifteen minutes later it was 2-0, the unmarked Jose Manuel Velasquez diverting Louis Pena's corner into the net at the far post. Carlos Fernandez should have made it three, but dragged his shot wide with just the keeper to beat. Tahiti were dealt a hammer blow in the 26th minute when Stephane Faatiarau received his marching orders for a professional foul on Yonathan Del Valle and Rondon made no mistake from the resulting spot-kick.

Worse was to come for the islanders seven minutes before half-time when Garry Rochette received his second yellow for a foul on Pena. With the match over as a meaningful contest, the pace slowed to a crawl, with Venezuela simply going through the motions. The second half was a turgid affair, with Venezuela practically operating at walking pace. Twice Rondon had opportunities to complete his hat-trick, but casual finishing let him down.

The game was reignited in the 71st minute when Oscar Rojas curled a left-footed free-kick over the wall and past the outstretched dive of Hauata to put La Vinotinto 4-0 up. Jonathan Del Valle added a fifth with 12 minutes to go when he slotted the ball past the keeper after being played in by Rondon.

He added his second of the evening and Venezuela's sixth when Del Valle timed his run to perfection to divert Rojas' left-wing cross into the net and completed a 13-minute hat trick after collecting Jose Parra's slide-rule pass and firing past the keeper. There was also time for Rondon to complete his treble seconds later after converting a pass from Del Valle.

Although Lorenzo Tehau and Steevy Chong Hue flashed shots just wide of the upright for Tahiti in the first half, they failed to trouble Rafael Romo during the entire 90 minutes. Venezuela now must defeat Spain in their final group game to secure their place at the section's summit, while Tahiti's hopes of reaching the last 16 are effectively over.

Egypt Vs. Paraguay - - Hosts Stunned With The Last Minute Goal By Aldo Paniagua of Paraguay To Earn 2-1 Victory Against Egypt

With virtually the last kick of the game, Aldo Paniagua sealed a dramatic 2-1 win for ten-man Paraguay over hosts Egypt to go joint-top of Group A.

The substitute's perfectly executed close-range volley after Cesar Benitez had headed the ball across the six-yard box completely stunned the Egyptians, who thought that they had done enough to earn a share of the spoils.

Buoyed by a passionate crowd, Miroslav Soukup's side started positively and served notice of their attacking intentions three times in the opening ten minutes. Mohamed Talaat fired wide under pressure from Francisco Silva, Hussam Arafat headed over when well placed from Afroto's free-kick and Ahmed Madgy also fired wide.

There were nervous moments in the Paraguay defence when Joel Silva spilled Islam Ramadan's powerful shot, but he gathered the ball bravely at the feet of Talaat before the striker had a chance to ram the ball home. Silva also failed to claim a swerving shot from Shehab Ahmed at the first attempt but fortunately for the South Americans, Hussam Arafat's subsequent effort was well off target.

As the half wore on, Paraguay moved into the ascendancy and hit the post in the 25th minute when Gustavo Cristaldo's curling free kick found its way through the wall. Two minutes later, they took the lead when the hosts were caught on the break by a fine solo run from Robin Ramirez, who fed Santander to score his side's first goal of the tournament.

The game changed direction nine minutes before the break when ex-Liverpool reserve Ronald Huth was shown a straight red card for hauling down Talaat, who was clean through. From the resulting free-kick, Afroto curled the ball into the net to add insult to Paraguay's injury.

Adrian Coria's side were forced to make a change at the interval with Silva, the team's captain and goalkeeper, replaced by Gerardo Ortiz after the former had suffered a head injury just before half-time. Yet despite the energy and effort of both sides and Paraguay's numerical disadvantage, the second half lacked any real goalmouth action until the very end. Santander tried a cheeky chip and Afroto clipped the outside of the post, but that was it - until Paniagua had the last word.

Now the hosts meet Italy in a repeat of their meeting at this year's FIFA Confederations Cup, while Paraguay face Trinidad and Tobago, who are without a point from their opening two matches. Egypt now must hope for a result against the Italians, or else face the possibility of exiting the competition at the opening stage.

FIFA U-20 World Cup, Egypt - - Ghana Vs. Uzbekistan: Andre Ayew Following The Footsteps of His Legendary Father Abedi Pele

"He is my leader and commander on the pitch. He has a lot of experience and has the ability to conjure up something special when you need it most. He's inspirational. He pushes the team forward and, against Uzbekistan, we saw just that."

These are the words of Ghana coach Sellas Tetteh about his captain Andre Ayew, following Saturday's 2-1 win over the west Asians. Although his name might not allude to it, he is the son of Abedi Pele, one of the finest Ghanaian and African players of all time. Pele captained the Black Stars for six years and is the country's all-time leading goalscorer with 33 goals in 73 appearances, earning the nickname 'The African Maradona' in the process.



"I don't get tired of answering questions about my father; he brought a lot of joy to people in Ghana and Africa and I've very proud of that," smiled Ayew. "He lifted the level of football in the continent. But I do find it difficult when people compare us. We are different players and we are different people.

"I'm not an out-and-out winger, I'm a midfielder. I can hold the ball up when I need to and I can play behind the strikers. I'm not as quick as him, but maybe I'm a little bit stronger on the ball. The decisive factor is that he was voted as the best player in Africa three times, but I've never had that honour - so there's no way I can compare myself with him!"
I hope that this U-20 squad goes on to become the Black Stars in future years. I think we have the potential to do that.
Andre Ayew, Ghana midfielder.

Pele was 27 when he earned his first African Footballer of the Year award, so at the age of 19, Ayew still has a lot of time to catch up with his legendary father. Although a Marseille player, he is currently on loan with Arles following a similarly successful spell with Lorient last year.

"Going on loan has helped my career a lot," he continued. "I'm a player who wants to play and grow into the game. You've got to learn to know the grass, know the players, know your own game and what you can and can't do. You don't learn much from the substitute's bench. I just hope that these experiences will help me to become an important player for Marseille."

The Ghana No10 only joined up with the Black Satellites squad two days before their opening match with Uzbekistan, but was instantly handed the captain's armband by Tetteh given his ability and experience. Ayew has already been capped 15 times at senior level and was part of the Ghana squad that finished third at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

"In some ways being captain means a lot - and in some ways it means nothing," he said. "Wearing an armband doesn't mean that you're the best player and it in that sense it doesn't matter. What matters is playing well and helping your team-mates. Obviously I am very proud to be the captain of the U-20 side and I try to perform my role as best as I can.

"When I play for the Black Stars, we have leaders such as Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari, but now some of us, including myself, have to step up and take more responsibility. We have to show the others that we've gained experience from the senior team and in turn pass that on. I hope that this U-20 squad goes on to become the Black Stars in future years. I think we have the potential to do that."