SEOUL — Italy defeated France 2-1 to move into the Under-20 World Cup Soccer quarterfinals Thursday and partially avenge losing the final of the 2016 Under-19 European Championship.
France won that final 4-0, but in Cheonan it conceded the first goal in each half to Italy and struggled to catch up.
After Andrea Favilli broke down the right side and his cross was headed home emphatically by Guiseppe Panico for 2-1, France almost equalized moments later. But Italy goalkeeper Andrea Zaccagno made a sensational save to keep a fierce Jean Kevin Augustin volley out.
Italy moves on to face Zambia Monday in Suwon.
The United States thrashed New Zealand 6-0 in Incheon with Josh Sargent notching his fourth goal of the tournament.
On Sunday, the US will meet Venezuela, which has yet to concede a goal.
A last-minute goal by substitute Ronaldo Cisneros lifted Mexico past Senegal 1-0, and into a quarterfinal against England Monday.
Shanghai SIPG, Urawa advance
Shanghai SIPG and Urawa Red Diamonds advanced to the quarterfinals of the Asian Champions League Wednesday, Urawa in a match which ended with a pitch confrontation between players at the end of extra time.
The 2007 ACL champion beat South Korea’s Jeju United 3-0 at home to scrape through to the next stage 3-2 on aggregate, but tempers flared as the Red Diamonds attempted to hold possession in the last minutes and the visiting players objected.
Jeju’s Baek Dong-gyu, an unused substitute, sprinted off the bench to interfere with an Urawa player and received a red card.
At the final whistle more players became involved in the confrontation and some Jeju players chased Urawa players off the pitch. The Asian Football Confederation said on its website that the substituted Kweon Hang-jin was also given a red card at the end of the match.
Shinzo Koroki and Tadanari Lee scored for Urawa, which lost the opening leg 2-0, to force extra time. Ryota Moriwaki scored the decider in the 114th minute.
In all-Chinese encounter, Shanghai beat Jiangsu Suning 3-2 to advance 5-3 on aggregate.
Hulk, the Brazilian forward signed for $60 million in 2016, scored the winning goal for Shanghai.
Elkeson and Yang Xiaotian also scored for Shanghai, which is coached by former Chelsea and Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas.
Urawa was one of four former continental champions to reach the quarterfinals stage. Other champions progressing were Chinese giant Guangzhou Evergrande, despite finishing the group stage with a loss to Kashima, Al-Ain and Al-Hilal. Shanghai, Persepolis of Iran, Al-Ahli and Kawasaki Frontale also advanced. — AP
