FIFA U-17 World Cup: USA, France and Germany advance to knockout phase
A dominant Germany side defeated New Zealand 3-1 in Bandung to book their place in the knockout phase with France also advancing to the Round of 16 after 1-0 win over Korea Republic.
USA 2-1 Burkina Faso
Fifteen-year-old USA sensation Nimfasha Berchimas scored his third goal of the tournament as USA beat Burkina Faso 2-1 in Jakarta to seal a place in the Round of 16.
Berchimas – who bagged a brace in his team’s 3-1 opening-game win – slotted home the Americans’ second goal of the game after Keyrol Figueroa had put them in front.
The opener came on 45 minutes when Liverpool forward Figueroa clinically fired in after excellent work from Peyton Miller.
USA were 2-0 up by the half-time while, with Berchimas continuing his dream tournament by finishing from close range.
Burkina Faso fought hard in the second half and got one back through Jack Diarra in the 89th minute.
They even came close to a dramatic leveller when Souleymane Alio hit the bar, but USA held on to secure victory and qualification to the next round.
Mexico 2-2 Venezuela
Nicola Profeta converted a late penalty to earn 10-man Venezuela a point against Mexico in a see-saw clash in Bandung.
Venezuela, who overcame New Zealand in their Group F opener, took an early lead when Alejandro Cichero was left unmarked from a corner and powered home a close-range header.
But the South Americans’ task become much harder when Giovanny Sequera was shown a straight red card five minutes before the interval after a lunging challenge on Brandon Lomeli.
Venezuela were inches away from taking a 2-0 lead early in the second half when Profeta crashed a long-range effort against the post, before two Mexico goals in the space of six minutes turned the game on its head.
Stephano Carrillo levelled in the 62nd minute when he headed home Fidel Barajas’s cross, before Luis Ortiz was allowed to advance towards the edge of the box and unleash a low drive which beat the dive of Jorge Sanchez.
But there was still time for further drama as goalkeeper Paolo Bedolla was penalised for a rash challenge and Profeta stepped up to slam home from the spot six minutes from time.
France 1-0 Korea Republic
France secured a place in the Round of 16 with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Korea Republic.
The game’s decisive moment came after just two minutes when Mathis Amougou curled in a spectacular effort from the edge of the box.
France then established a foothold in the game, impressing with their powerful, organised and stylish play.
Korea, though, have a collection of dynamic attackers themselves and, for a spell either side of half-time, seriously threatened a leveller.
They came agonisingly close on 58 minutes when Jin’s Taeho’s brilliant volleyed effort cannoned off the foot of the post.
The game continued to be played at a fast tempo, with Korea sustaining attacks in the game’s final stages but France’s defence holding strong.
In the end, Amougou’s stunning strike proved a worthy match-winner and secured a 12th straight U-17 World Cup group-stage win for the French.
New Zealand 1-3 Germany
Goals from Paris Brunner, Max Moerstedt and Bilal Yalcinkaya proved enough for Germany to ease past New Zealand 3-1 and book their place in the knockout phase.
The Germans must have feared it wouldn’t be their day in the first period, as captain Noah Darvich rattled the post with a fine free-kick just after the half-hour mark, before Brunner’s looping header came back off the underside of the crossbar.
Brunner would hit the woodwork again in the seventh minute of stoppage time, but this time his, and Germany’s, luck was in. Maximilian Hennig cut the ball back inside the six-yard box, and while Brunner’s first effort was excellently saved by Matt Foord, he was able to head the rebound home via the underside of the bar.
He would find the woodwork for a scarcely-believable third time on the hour mark, when his shot from outside the area struck the foot of the post. Germany would recycle possession, however, with Darvich calmly picking out Moerstedt to tap home his side’s second.
It was then Moerstedt’s turn to hit the crossbar, as his header looped beyond Foord but could only find the woodwork. Much like Brunner’s goal earlier, though, Yalcinkaya was on-hand to smash home the rebound.
New Zealand would get on the board late on, as Almugera Kabar brought down Nathan Walker inside the box. Adam Watson stepped up and coolly sent Max Schmitt the wrong way.
