Sunday saw France secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Norway. This win punched their ticket to the U20 World Cup semifinals. Striker Saimon Bouabre was the hero, bagging both goals for the French side. They now look ahead to a challenging matchup against Morocco.
The quarter-final clash, played in Valparaíso, Chile, had fans on the edge of their seats. France took control early, with Bouabre finding the net twice before halftime. His first goal came after just 19 minutes, and he added another in the 37th minute. This put France up 2-0. However, Norway refused to quit. Defender Rasmus Holten pulled one back for them in the 83rd minute. This late goal kept Norway’s hopes alive right until the final whistle.
Steven Baseya, a defender from Alverca, entered the game for France in injury time, at 90+1 minutes. He was on the field to celebrate France’s triumph. France previously lifted the U20 World Cup trophy in 2013. They will now battle Morocco on Wednesday for a spot in this year’s final. That crucial semifinal match will also take place in Valparaíso, Chile, where the tournament’s final stages are being held.
On the other side of the bracket, another exciting semifinal awaits on Wednesday. Argentina, a nation with a record six U20 World Cup titles, will face Colombia. Argentina’s squad features some notable talent, including Gianluca Prestianni from Benfica and Tomás Pérez from FC Porto. Colombia also brings its own rising star in Óscar Perea, who plays for AVS.
It’s worth noting that the Portuguese national team did not qualify for this edition of the U20 World Cup. However, their history in the tournament is quite strong. Portugal claimed the championship twice, first in 1989 in Saudi Arabia, and then again on home soil in 1991. They were also the runners-up in 2011 in Colombia. In 1995, they secured a third-place finish in Qatar.