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PACER CALLS IT “WORST DECISION EVER” AND VOWS TO FIGHT
GUWAHATI: Abel Ruiz’s penalty in the 90th minute propelled European champions Spain into the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-17 World Cup after edging out France 2-1.
But more than Spanish flair, an often wrong-footed French defence dictated the outcome of the pre-quarter final match at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here on Tuesday.
Spain will meet Iran in the quarter-finals on Sunday.
The France defenders, pierced only thrice in as many Group E matches, showed a tendency to falter whenever Spain stepped up the attack. A momentary lapse by Vincent Collet and Oumar Solet helped Spain equalise in the 44th minute.
As the match – tied 1-1 till the final minute – seemed headed for a penalty shootout, Solet brought down Jose Lara brought in as a substitute for forward Cesar Gelabert. Captain Ruiz converted the penalty to send Spain into the last eight of the competition.
The two European heavyweights, familiar with each other’s tactics, played cautiously in the first half. But the Spaniards had French playmaker Yacine Adli and striker Amine Gouiri, the tournament’s leading goal
FRANCE CAME INTO THE EVENT NOT AS ONE OF THE FOUR AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS FROM EUROPE BUT AFTER FEATURING IN A FIFTH PLACE PLAYOFF MATCH.
scorer, marked.
Spain came close to scoring a goal in the 19th minute when striker Ferran Torres headed a free-kick from skipper and forward Sergio Gomes millimetres above the bar.
The pace of the match changed when Gouri and forward Lenny Pintor swapped roles. Off a Guoiri pass, Pintor moved into the Spain box from the left flank to help France go 1-0 up in the 34th minute.
A minute before half-time, Spain equalised through Juan Miranda who made an unmarked run into the France box to meet striker Ferran Torres’s cross from the right flank.
The equaliser energised Spain the second half with Gomes making France goalie Yahia Fofana stretch to save in the 56th minute. But Gomes missed a free-kick opportunity a few minutes later.
The opportunity came in the form of a penalty that Ruiz converted, as Spain pushed hard in the final minutes.
“It was a game well fought. I think our boys are peaking at the right time,” Spain coach Santi said after the match, referring to Spain’s campaign that began with a 1-2 loss to Brazil.
France came into this tournament not as one of the four automatic qualifiers from Europe but after featuring in a fifth place play-off match. But they had a brilliant run of form in India though they were placed in a comparatively easier group.
The 2001 champions side beat debutants New Caledonia 7-1, then prevailed over Japan 2-1 in a close game before thrashing Honduras 5-1.