TORONTO (CP) _ Colour the FIFA U-20 World Cup light blue yet
again.
An 86th-minute goal Sunday by Mauro Zarate gave Argentina a 2-1
comeback victory over the Czech Republic and the FIFA U-20 World Cup
title for the sixth time.
Zarate's low angled shot through traffic from the edge of the
penalty box handcuffed goalkeeper Radek Petr, who was beaten to the
short side. Sergio Aguero also scored for Argentina in the 62nd
minute, cancelling out a goal by Martin Fenin two minutes earlier.
``This is for Argentina, this is for my country,'' Argentina
coach Hugo Tocalli said after the match through an interpreter.
This latest title cements Argentina's dominance at the under-20
level. The South Americans have won five of the last seven
tournaments.
Argentina put on a show in Canada, finishing with a 6-0-1 record
and outscoring its opposition 16-2. Along the way, the Argentines
beat fancied teams from Mexico and Chile. Add to that an unbeaten
run in the final phase of South American qualifying play.
Overall, the Argentines have competed in 12 of the 16 U-20
tournaments held to date, winning six times: in 1979, 1995, 1997,
2001, 2005 and now 2007. They have reached the semifinals eight
times in all _ and six times in their last seven appearances.
Argentina's all-time record at the U-20 World Cup is 49-14-4,
outscoring their opposition 137-51.
In contrast, Canada's career mark at the tournament is 4-18-5.
The Czechs' previous best showing was making the quarter-finals:
in 2001 as the Czech Republic and 1983 as Czechoslovakia. At this
tournament, however, the Czechs were the only team to take points
off the Argentines. The two teams tied 0-0 when they met in the
first round on June 30 in Ottawa.
The Argentina triumph caps a tournament that won kudos for Canada
as organizer, with a record cumulative attendance of 1,195,239 for
the 52-game tournament.
The lone black marks were the disappointing performance of the
host team, which went three and out without scoring a goal, and a
brawl involving the Chilean team and police and security forces
after Thursday's semifinal loss to Argentina.
The Canadian Soccer Association hopes to build on the tournament
momentum by bidding on the 2011 Women's World Cup.
Sunday's final did not catch fire until the first goal. Tocalli
credited the Czechs for their game plan, which made it difficult for
the Argentines to find space _ especially in the midfield.
After a so-so opening hour, the Czechs went ahead in the 60th
minute on a fine piece of finishing. A Czech attacker dribbled into
the box and, meeting resistance, went back outside and sent the ball
over to Fenin, who shielded the ball from defender Frederico Fazio
and then turned, hammering a left footed-shot past diving goalkeeper
Sergio Romero.
The ensuing Czech celebration was intense, with a teammate
flinging Fenin to the ground and everyone else diving on top.
``It was a hard game. We worked very hard. But we were
confident,'' said Tocalli. ``I knew although we were 1-0 down, we
would pull back to 1-1.''
The Czech joy was short-lived indeed. Two minutes later,
midfielder Ever Banega unlocked the Czech defence with a perfect
through ball that put Aguero in all alone and the Argentine captain
calmly slotted the ball past Petr for his tournament-leading sixth
goal.
``Argentina is not a forgiving soccer country,'' Czech coach
Miroslav Soukup said through an interpreter. ``We made a few
mistakes and we paid for it.''
The stylish Banega was a provider for Argentina throughout the
competition, winning the ball in midfield and then finding an
attacker with it.
Two RCMP officers in full uniform flanked the tournament trophy _
which looks like a silver dumbbell with a ball jammed on one end _
during the game played in hot and sunny conditions at the National
Soccer Stadium.
After the final whistle, the Argentines danced, ripped off their
shirts, clambered over the south goal and then raced up and down the
field sliding in unison on their bellies as they neared each end.
They have had practice winning and it shows.
They then jumped over the advertising boards at the north end to
dance in front of a large group of their flag-waving fans. Two of
the players returned to the field banging drums that fans had handed
over and the dancing continued.
The Czechs stood silently while organizers assembled the victory
stand at centre field.
Suspended captain Matias Cahais and Aguero took the trophy from
FIFA president Sepp Blatter and raised it high, after kissing it, as
confetti and fireworks filled the air. Another victory lap followed.
Aguero was named winner of the Golden Boot Award as tournament
top scorer with six goals. He also won the Adidas Golden Ball Award
as best player in a vote of the media, ahead of Argentina's
Maximiliano Moralez and Mexico's Giovanni Dos Santos.
``Aguero is 19 years of age, Moralez is 20 years of age. they are
both growing in the world of football,'' Tocalli said. ``They will
make the national team without doubt and they will play at the
highest level.''
Aguero is already playing at Atletico Madrid in Spain while the
five-foot-three Moralez is with Argentina's Racing Club.
Aguero, who came on as a substitute in the 2005 final against
Nigeria, becomes only the second player to play on the winning side
in two U-20 finals. Portugal's Joao Pinto also did it in 1989 and
1991.
The South Americans won Sunday despite missing four players.
Cahais and Claudio Yacob were suspended after picking up a second
yellow in the semifinal win over Chile while Angel Di Maria was
injured in that game. Damian Escudero had been injured previously.
Zarate had also been somewhat of a forgotten man in recent games.
He started the first three group matches but was then injured and
only played a few minutes as substitute against Mexico in the
knockout rounds before the final.
Tocalli, who was an assistant to coach Jose Pekerman for the U-20
titles in 1995, 1997 and 2001, praised his squad for filling the
gaps.
``I chose the best 21 players, who play the ball well, are good
on the ball, confident, that look for goals,'' Tocalli said. ``You
also need patience. I bet on the 21 players and the bet paid off.''
The Argentines were lovely to watch with players like Banega,
Aguero, Moralez, Di Maria and Pablo Piatti moving the ball around
seemingly at will. They had 63 per cent of the possession Sunday and
averaged 59 per cent possession throughout the tournament.
Spanish referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco gave his whistle a
workout, booking Czech defender Lukas Kuban some 35 seconds into the
game for a crunching tackle. In all, he gave out 10 yellows _ six to
the Czechs and four to Argentina.
Note: Japan won the tournament's Fair Play Award.