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Germany, Brazil win again to top groups at U20 World Cup Steve McMorran
Germany and Brazil had emphatic wins to close the group stages of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup on Sunday, leaving both atop their pools but with tricky assignments ahead in the second round
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ermany and Brazil had emphatic wins to close the group stages of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup on Sunday, leaving both atop their pools but with tricky assignments ahead in the second round.
Germany beat Honduras 5-1 to finish Group F with three-straight wins - with 16 goals for and two against - while Brazil, also with three wins, topped Group E ahead of Nigeria after a 3-0 win over North Korea.
The last day of group matches in the 24-team tournament confirmed matchups in the round of 16, which starts Wednesday.
European champions Germany, which won the tournament in 1981, will meet Nigeria, which has never won the Under-20 title, despite twice finishing runners-up and winning the world under-17 title four times.
Nigeria ended the group stage with a 2-0 win over Hungary which left it in second place in Group E, with two wins and a 4-2 loss to Brazil, forcing its early clash with Germany in the knockout rounds.
Brazil will face Uruguay in its round of 16 match on Thursday after Uruguay finished second in Group D behind Serbia, which will play Hungary next round.
Uzbekistan beat Fiji 3-0 Sunday in the other match on the last day of Group play to set up a meeting with Austria.
In other matches in the next round, the United States will play Colombia, Ghana faces Mali, Ukraine play Senegal, and Portugal meet host New Zealand.
South American champions and pre-tournament favorite Argentina failed to qualify from Group B.
Germany was impressive in its win Sunday over Honduras, adding to is 8-1 win over Fiji and 3-0 win over Uzbekistan.
Marc Stendera scored the opening goal in the second minute, calmly sending the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot after Carlos Moncada had crudely brought down Levin Oztunali. Stendera then provided a brilliant through-ball in the 30th minute which Julian Brandt lofted over 'keeper Roberto Lopez and into the roof of the net.
Hany Mukhtar scored the third four minutes into the second half when his free kick took a wicked deflection off Jose Escalante and Grischa Proemel added the fourth 12 minutes later. Nicklas Stark rounded out the scoring from a corner in the 81st minute.
"This was a difficult match because Honduras played very well, especially in one-on-one situations," Germany coach Frank Wormuth said. "But towards the end of the match they had to take more risks and that opened up more spaces for us.
"I'm just glad that my team performed well and managed to find a way to collect another three points. That is what makes me proud."
Brazil took 60 minutes to break down the defense of North Korea, which had conceded nine goals in its previous matches against Nigeria and Hungary. North Korea's defense sat deep and, while they had 68 percent of possession, Brazil showed some impatience and mostly tried to score from distance.
The tactic finally paid off to some degree when Jaja's shot from 35 meters deflected wildly off Hyo Song giving goakeeper In Hak no chance.
Brazil then showed some of its real ability in the 66th minute when Jean Carlos lit up a cold night in Christchurch, rolling his foot over the ball to beat one defender, jinking to his right to see off another, then slotting past the keeper with ease.
Leo Pereira headed the third at the far post from a corner in the 81st minute.
Taiwo Awoniyi secured a brace in Nigeria's 2-0 win over Hungary, scoring in the 33rd and 54th minutes. He scored the first when he ghosted away from his marker to volley in at the near post from Saviour Godwin's low cross.
He added the second when Attila Osvath and Akos Cecskes, who had both gone up for the same header, collided near halfway and left the ball to Awoniyi who beat a defender and rounded goalkeeper Gyorgy Szekely before tucking the ball into the net.(++++)
