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Top Fives U20 World Cup

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  • Top Fives U20 World Cup

    Top Fives




    Eric Koreen, National Post

    Published: Monday, July 23, 2007 Article tools


    GOALS

    5. Giovanni Dos Santos, Mexico (vs. Gambia, July 2 in Toronto)os Santos takes advantage of a terrible first touch by a Gambian defender, and whips a left footer into the top of the net from just inside the box.

    4. Amaral, Brazil (vs. South Korea, July 3 in Montreal): Amaral steals the ball in the midfield, steps around two Korean defenders, splits two more, and finishes on the ground as he is being dragged to the field. He then runs around with the ball under his shirt as if he were pregnant.

    3. Freddy Adu, United States (vs. Poland, July 3 in Ottawa): Closely marked at the left edge of the box, Adu spins almost 360 degrees before unleashes a wicked shot with his left foot that finds the inside of the far post.

    2. Leandro Lima, Brazil (vs. Spain, July 11 in Burnaby): Lima takes a bouncing cross off his chest, then uses a half-bicycle kick to drill the ball by keeper Adan and between two helpless Spanish defenders.

    1. Sergio Aguero, Argentina (vs. Poland, July 12 in Toronto): Aguero gets the ball in a rather harmless position, with his back to the goal. But the Argentine flips the ball up, lets it bounce, flicks it over the head of a Polish defender, then uses his left foot to rip the finish out of mid-air.

    UPSETS

    5. Gambia 2 Portugal 1 (Group C, July 8 in Montreal): The Gambians split their opening two games (losing to Mexico and edging New Zealand), then put it all together after allowing an early goal against Portugal.Despite allowing an early goal--and playing with 10 men for 31 minutes -- the Gambians pulled off the upset when substitute Abdoulie Mansally scored on a free kick in the 68th minute.

    4. United States 2 Brazil 1 (Group D, July 6 in Ottawa: ): Freddy Adu, fresh off a three-goal game, set up both Amercian goals to prove, at age 18, he wasn't over the hill just yet.

    3. Czech Republic 1 Spain 1 -- Czechs win 4-3 on penalties (Quarter- final, July 14 in Edmonton): After beating Brazil, Spain looked to have a relatively clear path to the final. The Czechs had other ideas. Despite blowing a lead in extra time, the Czechs got the better of the favourites in penalties, with Radek Petr making the final save to clinch the win.

    2. Austria 2 United States 1 (Quarter- finals, July 14 in Toronto): The U.S. had gone from underdog to favourite, while the Austrians were seen as another conservative roadblock. But Austria's closer Erwin (Jimmy)Hoffer put the dagger into the Americans in extra time.

    1. Poland 1, Brazil 0 (Group D, June 30 in Montreal):Opening day. The tournament favourites against a European unknown. But Grzegorz Kyrchowiak scored early on in the game with a brilliant free kick, and despite going down to 10 men in the 27th minute, Poland held off Brazil.

    PLAYERS

    5. Erwin Hoffer, Austria He started in just four of his team's six games, but Jimmy Hoffer was one of the biggest characters in the tournament, with his moniker shaved into his hair above his left ear and two game-winning goals in the knockout stage.

    4. Adrian Lopez, Spain A tough choice between Lopez and the tireless Diego Capel. But Lopez's five goals led Spain and were second only to Argentina's Sergio Aguero in the tournament.

    3. Freddy Adu, United States It was a coming-out party for the 18-year-old MLS veteran.Three goals against Poland. Two sterling set-ups in an American upset over Brazil. But his brilliance ran out in the quarter-finals against Austria, when his sparkling runs were too little, too late.

    2. Giovanni Dos Santos, Mexico There are great performances, and then there are matches where one player almost single-handedly wins a game, like Dos Santos's effort in a 2-1 win over Portugal. He scored a goal--as he did in Mexico's two other group-stage victories --and controlled the ball with absolute precision.

    1. Sergio Aguero, Argentina The youngest player to ever suit up in the Argentine first division was a revelation, a 5-foot-7 dynamo who won the Golden Shoe with six goals, including the equalizer in yesterday's championship game. Aguero also led the voting as the tournament's best player and will get a Golden Ball to go along with his Golden Shoe. The double award feat is was done in 2005 when Argentina's Lionel Messi won both awards and his team won the tournament.
    No need to thank me forumites.

  • #2
    Hooray for Freddy!


    BLACK LIVES MATTER

    Comment


    • #3
      You cannot 'elp yourself can you?

      America produces nothing good. Not even Escalade (or spare parts for
      Escalades).

      BTW: T.K., see what i meant when i said things get out of hand when you are away?
      The only time TRUTH will hurt you...is if you ignore it long enough

      HL

      Comment


      • #4
        Rahtid! TK come back!? I best be on my best behaviour!


        BLACK LIVES MATTER

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Mosiah View Post
          Hooray for Freddy!
          Agreed. He had a good tournament. He and Bradley were finalists for the Golden Ball. Great recognition considering they were knocked out in the quarters. - T.K.
          No need to thank me forumites.

          Comment


          • #6
            I think Bradley was the star of the USA team. Freddy did well, but seems like he needs too much space to do his magic. Some leagues may not afford him such luxuries.


            BLACK LIVES MATTER

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            • #7
              Originally posted by HL View Post
              BTW: T.K., see what i meant when i said things get out of hand when you are away?
              LOL.....From the minute Mosiah said that every single player on Argentina's U20 was better then every single player on the US' U20 you should have been wise enough to realize that he was in one of his eMOtional states and discontinue all form of debate till his adrenaline and endorphine levels come back down to normal.

              The fact is that Freddy has been recognized as one of the best players of this tournament and no amount of wailing and gnashing of teeth will change the fact that he played very well in Canada. - T.K.
              No need to thank me forumites.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Mosiah View Post
                I think Bradley was the star of the USA team. Freddy did well, but seems like he needs too much space to do his magic. Some leagues may not afford him such luxuries.
                That is a fair post.

                If you are going to identify talent from this U20 team Bradley would probably be at the top of most people's list. If Altidore was 18 my gut would tell me that he would be the next one.

                I agree with you. Freddy needs to figure out how to play under direct pressure before he can hope to ever make a career in any of the top leagues. In the three games where the teams collapsed on him in mid-field he struggled. (S. Korea, Uruguay, Austria) Granted late in the Uruguay and Austria match he started to find some space and made a late impact. Still in Europe he will need to figure out how to be succesful when real estate is pressure or else he could be back in the States sooner then he wishes. - T.K.
                No need to thank me forumites.

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