Brave Ghana stun Brazil in U20 World Cup final

October 17, 2009

Ghana overcame Brazil 4-3 on penalties in the final of the Under-20 World Cup at the Cairo International Stadium here on Friday to become the first African side to win the tournament.

Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu struck the winning spotkick in sudden death after substitute Maicon had spurned the chance to give Brazil their fifth title by placing his penalty over the crossbar.

Ghana fought manfully after the controversial first-half dismissal of Daniel Addo, taking the game to extra-time and then riding their luck in the shootout after 120 goalless minutes.

Goalkeeper Daniel Aygei kept Ghana in the game earlier in extra-time with a point-blank save from Maicon, who had been teed-up 10 yards out by Alex Teixeira’s cut-back.

Reported Manchester United target Douglas Costa twice went close in the additional 30 minutes, while Aygei was also called into action by Wellington Junior.

The game changed with the straight red card shown to Ghana centre-back Addo, who was very harshly dismissed for a halfway-line foul on livewire striker Teixeira in the 37th minute despite the presence of a covering defender.

Ghana’s numerical disadvantage handed their opponents the initiative after an attritional first 45 minutes and Brazil dominated the second half.

Striker Alan Kardec scored Brazil’s winner in the 1-0 semi-final victory over Costa Rica but he was in profligate form against Sellas Tetteh’s men.

He spurned four chances inside 12 second-half minutes, first diverting a cross straight at Aygei before twice heading over and also firing into the side netting after a burst down the left.

Tetteh punched the air at the end of extra-time, proud to have kept the favourites at bay despite being a man down.

His joy turned to delirium when Agyemang-Badu slotted his penalty into the bottom-right corner after Maicon had fluffed his chance to give Brazil an unassailable 4-2 lead in the shootout.

Earlier, Hungary secured victory in their third-place play-off match against Costa Rica after heroics from goalkeeper Peter Kulacsi in another penalty shootout.

Marcos Urena’s fine 81st-minute opener for Costa Rica was cancelled out by an injury-time penalty from Vladimir Koman and in the ensuing shootout Kulacsi saved three penalties and saw one strike the crossbar to earn the Europeans a 2-0 spotkick victory.

CAIRO (AFP)

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Brazil tops Costa Rica 1-0 in U-20 semifinals

October 14, 2009

Costa Rica allowed a second-half goal and was beaten by Brazil 1-0 in the Under-20 World Cup semifinals on Tuesday.

The result sends Costa Rica to Friday’s third-place game against Hungary, already having achieved its best performance at the biennial youth championship.

Costa Rica reached the second round in 2001 in Argentina, its furthest advancement in six previous trips to the U-20 finals.

Brazil will play Friday for the title against Ghana, which beat Hungary 3-2 in the other semifinal earlier Tuesday.

The match was a marked improvement for Costa Rica – which was the last team to qualify for the second round — from its first match against Brazil, when it was beaten 5-0 in its open game of the group stage.

Brazil finally converted a dominant possession game in the 67th minute when Bertucci’s curling left-footed cross just cleared the head of teammate Alex Teixeira but landed at the feet of Alan Kardec, who hit a powerful volley from near the byline between the near post and goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado.

The goal was reward for Brazil, which had more than twice the possession, shots on goal and corners as the CONCACAF champion, but created few dangerous chances.

Of Brazil’s nine shots on goal, most were directly at Alvarado, who had his best moment by extending his left hand to knock away Souza’s shot from 10 meters from in front of the goal.

Costa Rica had few chances but tested Brazilian keeper twice in the first half, a free kick by David Guzman that had to be tipped over the bar in the 16th minute and Marcos Urena’s right-footed shot on a counter that was pushed around the near post by Rafael in the 44th.

CAIRO, Egypt

Source

Tags: alan kardec, alex teixeira, Argentina, best performance, brazil, brazil 1, byline, Cairo, cairo egypt, Costa Rica, curling, david guzman, Egypt, Esteban Alvarado, free kick, ghana, group stage, Hungary, left hand, Marcos Urena, open game, place game, possession game, Rafael, souza, teammate, volley, world cup semifinals

WYC: Brazil just need one half to beat Uruguay

October 8, 2009

Three goals in the first half led Brazil to a rather comfortable win over Uruguay at the World Youth Championship in Egypt, and secured the tournament favorites a spot in the quarter finals.

Alan Kardec put the Brazilians in the lead with 22 minutes played at Port Said stadium, and Alex Teixeira doubled the advantage another two minutes later.

The match was practically decided when Alex Teixeira added a third goal seven minutes after the second.

Jonathan Urretaviscaya pulled one back in minute 36 but the Brazilians wouldn’t allow the Uruguayans to come any closer.

Brazil now face a tough task in the quarter finals, as Germany awaits them to battle for a spot in the semi’s.

Jonathan Roorda

Tags: alan kardec, alex teixeira, brazil, brazilians, Egypt, Germany, jonathan, Jonathan Roorda, Jonathan Urretaviscaya, match, quarter finals, roorda, tournament favorites, two minutes, uruguay, uruguayans, world youth championship, wyc

Brazil cruise past Costa Rica at World Youth Championship

September 27, 2009

Brazil began their World Youth Championship 2009 campaign with a convincing 5-0 victory over Costa Rica.

The Brazilians went ahead after 24 minutes at Port Said Stadium, with a goal from Vasco da Gama forward Alan Kardec.

Giuliano added a second in the 35th minute, and Alan Kardec made it 3-0 shortly before the half time whistle.

Vasco da Gama’s influence was visible in this game, as Alan Kardec’ club mate Alex Teixeira found the target in minute 75. Rafael Da Silva, better known as Boquita, scored the fifth and final goal with one minute to go in regular time.

Brazil play their next match against the Czech Republic on Wednesday. Earlier that day, Costa Rica will need a positive result against Australia.

Jonathan Roorda