Jude NnaemekaLASTEST FROM UNDER 17 WORLD CUP
November 11th 2009 12:35
The fifa under 17 world cup is presently at the semi finals level.
THIS IS THE PREVIEW
Lagos prepares for battle of wills
Lagos prepares for battle of wills
Tournament surprise packages they may be, but there is no doubt that semi-final opponents Colombia and Switzerland are richly deserving of a place in the last four at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Nigeria 2009. Having both overcome tough quarter-final rivals in dramatic fashion, confidence will be high in the respective camps going into Thursday 12 November's clash at Lagos' Teslim Balogun Stadium.
The game
Colombia-Switzerland, 12 November 2009, Lagos, 16.00 (local time)
The stakes
Colombia head into the fixture with morale high, having engineered last-gasp escapes in their previous games against Argentina and Turkey. Trailing by a goal with just three minutes on the clock versus La Albiceleste in the Round of 16, Los Cafeteros somehow grabbed two late goals to win 3-2. Against Turkey, meanwhile, Ramiro Viafara's young charges notched a leveller with the final kick of injury time and went on to progress via a penalty shoot-out. The Colombians are thus ideally placed to improve on their best-ever finish at this competition, fourth place at Finland 2003, but will have to face Switzerland without suspended duo Fabian Castillo and Daniel Catano.
Tournament debutants Switzerland, for their part, have already left the likes of Brazil, Germany and Italy trailing in their wake and will see no reason why they cannot continue their impressive run on African soil. A win for the Swiss would better their nation's highest-ever finish at a FIFA competition, fourth spot at the Olympic Football Tournament Paris 1924, though coach Dany Ryser must find a way to replace key players in captain Frederic Veseli and midfield maestro Pajtim Kasami.
A BATTLE BETWEEN TWO TITANS[
/SIZE][SIZE=4]Neither Spain nor Nigeria have lost a FIFA U-17 World Cup match in regulation time since 2003, a record that both sides will put to the test when they meet in Lagos on Thursday. Adding a little extra spice to an already intriguing semi-final is the fact that the Spaniards are aiming to exact revenge for their defeat in the final of Korea 2007.
On that occasion the Nigerians edged La Rojita in a penalty shootout, consigning the Europeans to their third defeat in the final. And with the support of a football-mad nation behind them, the tournament hosts firmly believe they can deny the highly motivated Spanish once again.
The game
Spain-Nigeria, Thursday 12 November, Lagos, 19.00 (local time)
The stakes
For many pundits this match could easily be the final. Spain and Nigeria both started the tournament as firm favourites and little has happened over the last three weeks for the experts to change their minds. Gines Melendez's side have impressed with their polished team play and lethal finishing, though they did look vulnerable in the closing stages of a titanic quarter-final tussle with Uruguay.
The Spanish could yet pay for failing to kill off the South Americans in normal time. Fatigued after a nerve-shredding match went all the way to penalties, the Spaniards will be eager to avoid another marathon against the competition hosts. Hampering their chances of success, however, are the absences of captain Marc Muniesa through suspension, and midfielder Eduardo Ramos, who is out of the tournament with a knee injury.
The Golden Eaglets have no such selection problems, having collected just one yellow card so far. They should also be full of running after dispatching Korea Republic in 90 minutes in Monday's quarter-final. With Stanley Okoro, the best passer of the tournament, pulling the strings in midfield and Ramon Azeez and Abdul Ajagun posing a threat with their late runs, the Europeans will need to be more watchful than ever. ]
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