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| December 10, 2003 | Wednesday | Shawwal 15, 1424 |
Argentina, US, Canada in last eight
DUBAI, Dec 9: American football scored a decisive win over their African counterparts at the world under-20 championships here on Monday with Argentina, the United States and Canada advancing to the quarterfinals at the expense of African teams.
Argentina, the holders of the title, needed a golden goal to advance to the last eight with a 2-1 win over Egypt and next play the USA who came away 2-0 winners over Cote d’Ivoire.
Outsiders Canada, meanwhile, became the first men’s team from their country to reach the final eight of a FIFA finals thanks to a goal from Josh Simpson after 59 minutes which sets up a meeting with either Spain or Paraguay.
Earlier, a golden goal from Daisuke Sakata sent Japan into the next round with a 2-1 victory over South Korea after they finished normal time level with their Asian arch-rivals.
Argentine skipper Fernando Cavenaghi struck a golden goal after 110 minutes of play to wrap up a 2-1 win over Egypt.
The River Plate striker scored both of the South American side’s goals against a battling Egypt side.
Cavenaghi opened his account after 27 minutes and put himself in line for the top scorer of the competition with the golden goal after Rida Metwaly had drawn Egypt level after 42 minutes.
The winner came in the second half of extra time from a cross from Javier Mascherano and Cavenaghi beat his opposing skipper and Egypt goalie Sharif Ekrami.
“He’s a player you have to think a lot about substituting because even if he isn’t much in the game, if he has the chance he can get you two gaols,” said Argentine coach Hugo Tocalli of Cavenaghi.
The United States eased past Cote d’Ivoire 2-0 with the goals coming after seven minutes from Justin Mapp, with Ed Johnson converting a penalty two minutes before the break.
Sakata put Japan back in the tie with an equaliser eight minutes from the end of normal time and sealed victory in the 105th minute of play, with a golden goal in the last minute of the first extra-time period.
Japan will meet either Brazil or Slovakia in the last eight.
South Korea had taken the lead in the first half when Choi Sung Kuk scored after 38 minutes.
The victory was sweet revenge for the Japanese who were edged out in last year’s 2002 under-20 Asian Cup final in Doha where the Koreans become champions of Asia for an unprecedented tenth time.
Collated results:
Canada 1 Burkina Faso 0
United States 2 Cote d’Ivoire 0
Japan 2 South Korea 1
Argentina 2 Egypt 1
— AFP
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