By
Eniola Olatunji 

The Young Pharaohs of Egypt in the wee hours of Saturday morning Nigerian time depleted the joy of hosts Chile before their home crowd when Omar Khedr known in football community as OK made a lone strike scoring a winner in an added time of 90+5 minutes of the last Group A match.

The Chileans felt good thinking they had the match under grips when Carcamo Cifuentes from a Romero pass got the curtain raiserin the 27th minute but on resumption of the second half ‘enfant Terrible (troubleshooter) OK gave a beautiful assist to Ahmed Abdin to score the equalizer at the 47th minute. And Egypt that pundits reckoned was out of the tournament won 2-1.

The Young Pharaohs who are making their 8th appearances at the final phase of the U20 male football tournament only made a podium finish once at Argentina 2001 when she snatched the Bronze medal from Paraguay after losing to the Black Meteors of Ghana 0-2 in the semifinal.

The victory will create a boardroom discussion for organizers of the competition, FIFA as the other gropu match ended with high tech Japan drubbing of New Zealand 3-0. 

Group A has Japan topping the group with maximum 9 points scoring 7 goals and having a clean slate meaning not conceding a single goal; hosts Chile looks good for the 2nd position with 3 points scoring 3 goals and conceding 5 but those exact figures is what Egypt has so FIFA has to decide who is officially 2nd probably with a toss of coin. New Zealand also made 3 points scoring same 3 goals but the 6 goals conceded has automatically and painfully sent the Rugby country back home.

Proceedings in Group B that was decided earlier was clear as war torn Ukraine beat Paraguay 2-1 and South Korea defeated Panama by the same margin 2-1.
Stepping forward as group leaders is Ukraine who bomb bombardment may not let them pop up wine as the country garnered 7 points scoring 5 goals and conceding 3 to top the group; Paraguay made 2nd position with 4 points scoring 4 goals and conceding 4; South Korea may advance as a lucky loser from the 3rd position having 4 points scoring 3 goals and conceding 3 but Panama goes home with just a point scoring 4 goals and conceding 6.   

Later today at 9pm Nigerian time, Mexico will try their luck against already qualified Morocco while Spain tackles the Samba Boys of Brazil all in group C. At midnight today, Argentina will lock horns with the Italian boys while Australia will play Cuba all in group D. 

Tomorrow Saturday at 9pm South Africa faces high scoring USA and France stands a chance to whip thoroughly the weakest team of the tournament, New Caledonia in group E. At midnight, Nigeria will make haste for a Passover of Columbia while Saudi will be against Norway in group F.

Already some names are out listed for the Round of 16 matches like Ukraine playing on 7th October while Paraguay and Morocco will play on 9th October all the three teams are waiting for the emergence of their opponents

The two top leaders of the group automatically goes into the round of 16 matches of the Knockout stages while the 3rd placed team will compare with other 3rd place losers for the better team to join the Round of 16 stages.

The 24th edition of the world U20 male football tournament runs from Sunday 2th September to 17th October with 24 nations from six football confederations contesting in four cities of Chile.