Under-20 World Cup round of 16: Gambia 0-1 Uruguay, Ecuador 2-3 South Korea

Uruguay and South Korea are the last to reach the quarter-finals of the current world cup in Argentina. La Celeste snatches the pass against Gambia after a challenge stingy with scoring but full of competitive spirit, as demonstrated by the two expulsions in the first 45′ (one on each side). Uruguay wins thanks to a flash from Duarte on an assist from Genoa’s Matturro. Korea, back from second place in the previous edition, advances by trimming three goals against a smoky Ecuador that is too slow to enter the game. The seals of Cuero and Zambrano are useless. Korea imposes itself 3-2 by hitting coldly.

Gambia-Uruguay 0-1

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La Celeste relies on the flair of De Los Santos in attack instead of Ferrari. Instead, Bojang makes three changes for his Gambia, which however maintains the same pattern and same poker of forwards with which he brilliantly passed the first phase, namely Colley, Sanyang and Mbya behind Adama Bojang. The African vice-champions got off to a bad start, finding themselves outnumbered after just a quarter of an hour, because the referee Letexier punished a foul move by Mbye with a red light. However, the South Americans are struggling to find space and before the break they return the “favor”: red light directed at Luciano Rodriguez for an elbow to Njie and numerical parity re-established after the only two emotions of the first fraction: a sensational goal for Uruguay, who Duarte wastes everything alone in front of Dampha, and a powerful right foot from Sanyang rejected by Rodriguez with his fists. There were few goals even in the second half, but Uruguay built something more thanks to Gutierrez’s ability between the lines. In the 56th minute a sensational mistake by De Los Santos face to face with Dampha frustrated the Uruguayan celebration, which could however explode in the 65th minute thanks to a precise shot from the edge by Duarte well served by Genoa’s Matturro. From then on, Uruguay closes by controlling the opponent. Just a thrill for Rodriguez, a header from two steps away from Singhateh who shoots high in the 95th minute, burying the last Gambian hopes.

Ecuador-South Korea 2-3

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Asians bet on the surprise factor and hit the target. Kim-Eun Jung’s formation wasted no time and attacked with quick ball exchanges on the ground, taking advantage of the opponents’ soft attitude. It takes Ecuador a while to figure out how to stem the slippery Korean trio behind Jun Lee, and when he does he already finds himself two goals down. Because Korea really strikes with Lee in the 11th minute, who lands a masterful right-footed volley, and in the 19th minute with Kim, good at sending the defender and goalkeeper to the bar before signing the double. It was then that Ecuador reacted, at least Paez, Sosa and Angulo, the most talented players in Bravo’s eleven, tried, but serious opportunities were not seen in Joon Kim’s parts. Just a flash in the 35th minute with the complicity of the referee, who concedes a shot from eleven meters (transformed by Cuero) for a venial foul on Paez. But the Koreans strike cold again, just a handful of minutes after returning to the field: Napa’s rough exit from a corner kick, Choi’s clearance and the third Korean goal. The substitutions are not enough for the South Americans, the good entry of Minda and the individual ideas of Paez (who is missing, however, precisely at the most beautiful). Not even the winning paw that Zambrano places in the scrum in the 84th minute is not enough, one of the many generated by the furious final attacks of the “mini-Tri”. In the end, despite the large dose of talent from the halfway up, Ecuador surrendered to a ruthless Korea and a night with few ideas and confused.

The board

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These are the pairings and the schedule for the quarter-finals: Brazil-Israel (tomorrow at 7.30 pm, Italian time), Colombia-Italy (tomorrow at 11 pm, Italian time), Nigeria-South Korea (Sunday at 7.30 pm) and USA-Uruguay ( Sunday at 11pm). In case of success against the Colombians, Nunziata’s Azzurri will face the semi-final against the winner of Nigeria-South Korea.