Kolkata: Tournament favourites England were held to a goalless draw but parried their way courtesy a 5-3 win in the tie-breaker against Japan at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday. Hinata Kida’s miss made all the difference as Rhian Brewster, Callum Hudson-Odoi, goalkeeper Curtis Anderson, Phil Foden and Nya Kirby all found the target as England moved to the quarter-finals and will face USA on Sunday.
Star man Jadon Sancho was sorely missed even as Hudson-Odoi and Philip Foden tried at their utmost level best to score goals. With Japan playing defensively, England found it hard to create space and even though it managed to do so in some situations, the likes of Brewster and Angel Gomes missed. The ‘Three Lions’ could have gone well ahead in the first half but Liverpool sensation Brewster’s shot rattled the bar after Foden had found him in the right corner.
On the other hand, Japan were so defensive that they earned their first corner in the 63rd minute. In the end they may have lost the game but almost won it with the few chances that they received, as goalkeeper Anderson put up two brilliant saves to keep England alive.
Spain vs France
Meanwhile U-17 Euro champions Spain overcame France courtesy a last minute Abel Ruiz penalty at the Indira Gandhi Athletic stadium in Guwahati. La Roja will now face Asian side Iran in the quarter-finals in Margao.
It was a game of two halves as France dominated the first while Spain came back in the second-half and produced a fine passing display of tiki-taka football. Les Bleus took the lead in the 34th minute through Lenny Pintor but Spain replied back within the next 10 minutes as Miranda put in a powerful header from Ferran Torres’ cross as the first-half drew to an end.
Spain took control in the next half as France relied on counter-attacks and almost look the lead when Wilson Isidor’s header almost found the net. But then just when it looked that the match might go into the tie-breaker, Spain were awarded a controversial penalty after defender Oumar Solet brought down substitute Jose Lara in the last minute. Captain Abel Ruiz ensured La Roja remained on the hunt for their first ever U-17 World Cup, while France returned home losing once more at the hands of their bitter rivals, who had also defeated them in the U-17 Euro quarter-finals.
If the first day of the knock-out matches were all about one team dominating the other, the second day was just the opposite as all the eight teams playing in the day put up close battles with the World Cup in India even witnessing it’s first ever Penalty shoot-out.
Brief Results:
Kolkata – England 0 beat Japan 0, (5-3) on penalties
Guwahati – Spain 2 {Miranda 44′ Abel Ruiz 90′ (P) } beat France 1 (Pintor 34′)
Margao – Iran 2 (M. Sharifi 7′ (P) A. Sayyad 11′) beat Mexico 1 (De La Rosa 37′)
Mali 5 (H. Drame 25′ N’Diaye 33′, 90+4′ F. Konate 73′ S. Camara 87′) beat Iraq 1 (A. Kareem 85′).