Eniola Olatunji Reporting 

… Next is Colombia vs Spain and Mexico vs Argentina Quarterfinals Tomorrow at 9pm.

Africa’s only surviving country among four nations at the 24th world U20 football championship, the Atlas Lions of Morocco in the wee hours of Friday morning Nigerian time roared into the quarterfinals with an impressive 2-1 win over the Red Devils of Asian Champions, South Korea in a round of 16 games played in Chile.

Morocco kick started the game mounting pressures on the Red Devils that Shin Min-ha committed an own goal in the 8th minute of play and then Yessir Zabir scored the 2nd goal for Morocco through an assist from Maamana in the 58th minute but just as the Lions were preparing for a majestic stroll in the jungle to their den a penalty goal came as consolation to the Devils scored by Tae-Woo Kim in 90+6th minute.

The Koreans known for hard football and piling pressures on opponents in all age group male and female football were their usual selves holding the ball with 53-47% gaiety; got 433-400 passes; made 14-10 shots at goal with a 3-2 on target and wasted the 7-2 corner kicks advantage showing their rough characteristic in a foul calls of 15-8 from which 2-1 yellow cards were flashed. 

The Moroccans showed the Lion stuff in 21-13 clearances; intercepted Korean vital moves 13-6 times; blocked their shots at goal 5-4 times but only had 2-3 big chances at goal from 1-2 nasty missed chances.

Both sides never met at this level but South Korea’s best was a Silver Medal at Poland 2019 when they lost to Ukraine 2-3 in the final; got the Bronze twice at Mexico 1983 to Poland 1-2 after extra time and at Argentina 2023 to Israel 1-3.

Morocco is at the Mundial for the 3rd time and finished 4th at Netherlands 2005 when they lost the Bronze to Brazil 1-2 after bowing to Nigeria in the semifinal.
The Atlas Lions of Morocco marches on to face high scoring Yankees of USA in the quarterfinal at 9pm of Sunday at Teniente, Chile.

Nigeria and South Africa were dumped in the round of 16 games while the Junior Pharaohs of Egypt fell in the Red seas of the group stages.

Columbia will face the dreaded Spanish boys on Saturday at 9pm in the 1st quarterfinal. Mexico will meet Argentina in the quarterfinals at 9pm on Saturday in Chile’s most populated city of Santiago. France will meet Norway in the quarterfinal on Sunday at Midnight Nigerian time.