Korean Soccer Continues Strong Streak in FIFA U-20 World Cup with 3rd Consecutive Round of 16 Advancement

Korean soccer continued its strong step toward ‘Again 2019’ by successfully advancing to the round of 16 for three consecutive FIFA U-20 World Cups.

Japan lost 1-2 in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup Group C Group C match against Israel, where 10 players fought at Mendoza Stadium in Argentina on the 28th (Korean time), and stayed in third place with 3 points (1 win, 2 losses). pushed

Accordingly, even if the worst situation occurs, Korea (4 points) lost to Gambia (6 points) at the same place on the 29th at the same place and fell to 3rd place in the group stage, losing to Group F. Team’ and secured a ticket to the round of 16.

In the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the top 12 teams in each group A to F and the top four teams in each group will advance to the round of 16.

Among the third-place teams that finished the group stage by this day, Slovakia in Group B and Japan in Group C recorded 3 points each, so they cannot lead Korea on points with one game remaining.

Accordingly, even if Korea fell to 3rd place in the group, it was included in the ‘top 4 teams in 3rd place in the group’, and it was confirmed to advance to the round of 16 regardless of the result of the final match against Gambia on the 29th.

Korea continued to advance to the round of 16 in three consecutive tournaments, starting with the 2017 Korea Tournament (R16), followed by the 2019 Poland Tournament (runner-up), and this Argentine Tournament.

Kim Eun-joong’s ‘early round of 16 confirmation’ was thanks to the results of the third round of Group C in the group stage, in which theater goals were scored one after another.

Japan drew 1-1 with a numerical advantage and lost to Israel in extra time in the second half.

In the end, while Colombia (7 points) and Israel (4 points) succeeded in advancing to the round of 16 with 1st and 2nd place, Japan was pushed to 3rd place in the group, waiting for the ‘3rd place wild card’.

If there were no theater goals in both games, Korea’s decision to make the round of 16 would have been postponed until after the match against Gambia on the 29th.

Kim Eun-joong is now preparing for the final group stage match against Gambia with a light heart.

Japan took the lead against Israel on this day with Isa Sakamoto’s header scoring the opening goal in the match before the goal following a free kick in the first half of extra time.

Israel finished the first half 0-1, and 10 players had to fight against the bad news that Ran Binyamin, who was substituted in the 16th minute of the second half, was sent off after receiving two yellow cards for only 3 minutes from the 20th minute of the second half. Binyamin was ‘out’ 7 minutes after entering the ground.

However, Binyamin’s sending off raised the fighting spirit of the Israeli players, and Roy Navi’s header equalized in the 31st minute of the second half in an outnumbered 10 players, balancing the game.

After Israel made a short pass in the penalty area in the second half of the extra time, Omer Senior scored a ‘theatrical winning goal’ with his right foot in front of the goal area, sinking Japan.

As a result, Israel, which debuted in the U-20 World Cup through this tournament, continued its blast by advancing to the round of 16.

On the other hand, Japan, which was pushed back to 3rd place in Group C, was eliminated from the group stage for the first time in 22 years since the 2001 tournament, as it ranked 5th out of 6 countries (top 4 teams advanced to the round of 16) that were ranked 3rd in the group as of today, with Groups E to F having their final match on the 29th. ran into a crisis

Japan has failed to advance to the final stage in four consecutive tournaments since the 2009 tournament, but has advanced to the round of 16 in a row in the 2017 and 2019 tournaments.

Colombia, in the same group, drew 1-1 with Oscar Cortés’ equalizer in the second half of extra time after trailing 0-1 in their final Group C match against Senegal at La Plata Stadium.

Senegal could have finished third in the group if they had kept the victory, but they were eliminated from the group stage as they were in last place with a theater goal allowed.

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