The Spanish under-17 team managed to qualify for the quarter-finals of the category World Cup after beating Japan 2-1 in a very demanding match in which they put their best feelings forward during the second half.
The clash soon turned into Spain’s face. At eight minutes, good driving by Juan Hernández culminated with a ball served into the area. Marc Guiu let it pass and, after bouncing off Keita Kosugi, it fell at the feet of a Quim Junyent who did not forgive.
The target made the Asians take a step forward, with approaches such as a distant shot by Gaku Nawata that Raúl Jiménez deflected well after bouncing on the grass. In that attempt the Japanese attacker did not achieve the equalizer, but he did in the thirty-ninth minute, when he executed a shot with effect from the crescent that was unreachable for the goalkeeper.
The break served for the Spanish team to manage the blow and come out ready to impose their game. He did it against an expected rival, although he failed to generate more danger, the clearest opportunity being a mistake by the goalkeeper that Guiu was about to take advantage of.
That was until the seventy minute, when Paulo Iago found the crossbar after a play that had been played out at the beginning between him and Igor Oyono. That action was the prelude to the 2-1, in which Guiu did not forgive in one-on-one when receiving an excellent deep pass from Junyent.
The hard-fought advantage gave substance and peace of mind to José María Lana’s team, which continued to nullify the Japanese through dominance of the ball to seal a victory that places them among the eight best in the tournament. Germany or the United States will be your next rival.
2 – Spain: Raúl Jiménez; Fort, Cubarsí, Cuenca, Dani Muñoz (Mesa, min.42); Thin, Junyent, Juan Hernández (Roberto Martín, min.86); Yáñez (Oyono, min.46), Pablo López (Paulo Iago, min.61) and Guiu (Bernal, min.86).
1 – Japón: Goto; Shibata, Honda, Tsuchiya, Kosugi, Shibata; Sato, Nakajima (Tokuda, min.78); Yamamoto (Yada, min.68), Nawata (Michiwaki, min.68), Yoshinaga (Matsumoto, min .78); e Inoue (Takaoka, min.61).
Goals: 1-0, min.8: Junyent. 1-1, min.40: Nawata. 2-1, min. 74: Guide.
Referee: Pierre Atcho (Gabon). He cautioned Shibata (min.20), Nawata (min.45 1), Juan Hernández (min.62).
Incidents: Round of 16 match of the U-17 World Cup played at the Manahan Stadium in Surakarta.
