The hosts Korea Republic took the center-stage, but ran into a “smoky” Portugal team that cruised past them scoring twice within the first forty-five minutes. Throughout the opening ninety minutes of play, no goal was scored in the encounter between Venezuela versus Japan, as the both teams needed extra-time to settle out their differences. Here's a complete analysis of the first day of the Round of Sixteen.
South Korea 1, Portugal 3
The young Portuguese wasted no time to notch the opener ahead of the hosts. It was Bruno Xadas who opened the scoring in the tenth minute after receiving a lofty-cross from midfielder Yuri Ribeiro that found his way through a thronged South Korea defense.
Bruno Xadas first attempt "screamed" into the low-corner of the post. Later in the twenty-seventh minute Bruno Costa doubled the lead when he slammed home a deflected shot into the left-corner of the post making the scoreline 2-0 in the first half.
The Koreans made some good chances to come back into the game, but it was the young Portuguese side who had the better percentage of the chances. Portugal almost had the third-goal in the fifty-first minute when midfielder Jorge Fernandes was “gifted” an open chance from close range, but South Korea goalkeeper Song Burn Keun managed to make the save. Later in the sixty-seventh minute, Bruno Costa provided the third goal when he made a brilliant move through several Korean defenders before tapping home the third goal for Portugal.
The hosts' consolation goal came in the eighty-first minute with a well-placed volley from substitute Sangheon Lee to make it 3-1. With this blowout victory, Portugal now advances to the quarterfinals stage where they will take on the winner of either Saudi Arabia or Uruguay (pending who wins between the both teams) on Sunday, June 4.
Venezuela 1, Japan 0
It took an extra thirty minutes of play, but the Plainsmen of Venezuela edged past a potent Japan team to secure passage through to the quarterfinals of the 2017 FIFA Under-20 World CupWorld Cup. Both sides created several chances in the opening ninety minutes, but failed to convert those chances. In total, The two teams registered thirty shots on goal, but only four of those were accurately on target.
Japan's closest attempt came from a free-kick in the early minutes of second-half from midfielder Akito Takagi.
The young Venezuelans made three shots on target out of their overall eighteen attempts, and one of them actually made it into the back of the net. That goal came in the 107th minute with a brilliant header from Yangel Herrera off a corner kick cross. Afterwards, Japan apparently failed to threaten the lead, and eventually the Plainsmen of Venezuela made it through to the last eight. Venezuela will face the winner of either the United States or New Zealand on Sunday 4 June.
