Egypt crashed out of the Under-20 World Cup after suffering a shock 2-0 defeat to Costa Rica on Tuesday.
Also on Tuesday, Dominic Adiyiah scored in extra time to give Ghana a 2-1 win over South Africa, while Hungary edged the Czech Republic in a dramatic penalty shootout.
The Costa Ricans dumped the hosts out of the tournament after grabbing an early goal and then spending much of the game defending.
PHOTO: AFP
After the match angry fans hurled plastic water bottles at Egypt players and their Czech coach Miroslav Soukup.
“This is the first game we couldn’t score. We have been scoring well in all our other games. But today we attacked and had no luck,” Soukup said.
“The first goal affected us and the changes we made failed to change the result,” the Czech said. “They defended with six or seven players at the back and we couldn’t get through. They were very fast on the break and it’s the counterattacks that cost us the game.”
Egypt are the third favored team to suffer a shock exit after Italy ousted Spain on Monday and the Czechs were beaten on penalties.
Adam Balajti struck Hungary’s winning penalty — after Hungary’s Liverpool reserve goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi saved three spot kicks, while the Czechs’ Tomas Vaclik saved two. The game finished 2-2 after extra time.
Costa Rica captain Jose Mena scored the opening goal against Egypt with a diving header to silence more than 60,000 home fans at Cairo International Stadium.
The central American goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado then made some outstanding saves to preserve the lead before Marcos Urena added the second two minutes from the end with a powerfully struck shot past Egyptian keeper Aly Lofti.
Costa Rica will play the winner of yesterday’s match between Venezuela and the United Arab Emirates in the quarter-finals.
“This was a great night for us, a magic atmosphere for the players,” Costa Rica coach Ronald Gonzalez said. “We have a team that is mentally strong.”
In Ismailia, Kermit Erasmus put South Africa ahead in the 58th minute, beating Ghana’s defense and rounding goalkeeper Daniel Agyei to prompt wild celebrations on the team’s bench and a somersault from Erasmus.
Andre Ayew equalized with a header in the in the 66th, and Adiyiah hit a brilliant dipping shot from 25m in the ninth minute of extra time to send Ghana through to the last eight.
Ghana striker Opoku Agyemang received a second yellow card and was sent off near the end of extra time for diving.
Most of the fans at Isamailia stadium were military conscripts dressed in brightly colored overalls — a staple of the tournament’s matches — who unfurled giant flags of the two African nations in the stands.
“I think overall, my team was the stronger side, but we didn’t start very well,” Ghana coach Sellas Tetteh said.
“When you reach the knockout stage, the games become harder and South Africa certainly made it tough for us,” he said.
South Africa coach Serame Letsoaka said his players were punished for relaxing a little after the opening goal.
“I think after scoring the first goal, my players thought the game was wrapped up and we were caught out. The equalizer came at a time which deflated us,” Letsoaka said.
Ghana will play South Korea in the quarter-finals, while Hungary face Italy.
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