FIFA U-20 World Cup 2011: Colombia brush aside France 4-1

Fourteen youngsters in yellow jerseys, and an insightful 51-year-old, inspired one of the most unforgettable nights in Colombian football history in Bogota tonight. As hosts of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, they desperately coveted a winning start to their Group A campaign against European champions France. Los Cafeteros didn't just get that victory, they got a resounding one, with a double from Luis Muriel, a James Rodriguez penalty and a Santiago Arias strike earning them a come-from-behind 4-1 defeat of one of the pre-tournament favourites.

The result sent Colombia top of Group A, on goal difference from Korea Republic, who overcame Mali 2-0 earlier today.

There was an inimitable atmosphere at the Estadio Nemesio Camacho leading up to kick-off, and Colombia enhanced it by making an exhilarating start to the game. With just two minutes on the clock, they were inches from going in front, Michael Ortega's vicious long-ranger smashing against the crossbar.

Goalkeeper Cristian Bonilla made an admirable save from France forward Antoine Griezmann on eight minutes, before the South Americans responded through strikes by Didier Moreno and Jose Valencia.

Against the run of play, though, France opened the scoring. Gilles Sunu masterfully eluded his marker before unleashing a thumping shot which Bonilla got fingertips to but couldn't keep out. It provoked silence.

Colombia restored parity on the half-hour mark. Rodriguez's brilliant pass sent Arias into the box, and the No4 was upended by Kalidou Koulibaly. Rodriguez, the Porto entertainer, sent Ligali the wrong way from the spot.

On the stroke of half-time, Ortega found himself in a one-on-one situation with Ligali, but the France keeper made a fine save with his legs.

Three minutes. That is all Colombia need to assume the lead following the restart. An Ortega back-heel freed Muriel, who slipped past his man and slotted the ball home to deafening cheers.

Bonilla then frustrated Griezmann again with two marvelous saves, though the former must have resigned himself to conceding a second goal when France substitute Alexandre Lacazette skipped round him and faced an empty net. Inconceivably, however, the No19 missed the target.

Colombia immediately punished that miss, with Arias arriving at the back post to make it 3-1. It was soon four, Muriel latching on to an Ortega through-ball to thump the ball past Ligali.

It could, and should, have been 5-1 on 73 minutes. Muriel outfoxed Sebastien Faure with some mesmerizing trickery, and was duly fouled inside the penalty area. However, Rodriguez's resulting spot-kick was saved.

Did it spoil the euphoric mood? Not one iota. This was a night those present will be reminiscing about for a long time to come.

Colombia 4:1 France (1:1)

James RODRIGUEZ (30' PEN)

Luis MURIEL (48' 66')

Santiago ARIAS (64')

Gilles SUNU (21')

Match 8 - Group ABogota

Estadio Nemesio Camacho 'El Campin'


Hosts rock the party as Africans lament

The conditions could barely have been more different in Cali and Bogota, with the heat of the former contrasting sharply with the heavy rainfall that delayed the kick-offs in the latter city. All of which contributed to an intriguing Matchday 2 at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Colombia 2011, which featured an emphatic victory for the hosts over France, a game of two halves between Uruguay and Portugal, Cameroon scoring at both ends against New Zealand, and three points for Korea Republic.

Roared on by a packed stadium in Bogota, Colombia found themselves a goal down after just 21 minutes against France, only to subsequently overwhelm Les Bleuets 4-1 after a blistering second half. Korea Republic's success was also indebted to post-interval goals against Mali.

In another disappointment for the African contingent, Cameroon were held 1-1 by New Zealand in Group B, with the latter equalising via a Serge Tchaha own-goal. For the Kiwis, the result brought them their first point at a FIFA U-20 World Cup, having lost all three matches on their previous outing in 2007. The pool remains wide open, however, after the goalless stalemate between Portugal and Uruguay.

Results

Group A

Mali 0-2 Korea Republic

Colombia 4-1 France

Group B

Cameroon 1-1 New Zealand

Portugal 0-0 Uruguay

Goal of the day

Colombia-France, Luis Muriel 48’

In a goal that was both magnificent and vital in equal measure, Michael Ortega’s subtle back-heel freed Luis Muriel, whose sleight of foot left France defender Kalidou Koulibaly flailing before he slotted past keeper Jonathan Ligali to put Los Cafeteros in front for the first time.

Memorable moments

A taste of Africa in Cali: They may have been playing thousands of kilometres away from African soil, but Cameroon will have felt right at home thanks to the heat of Cali, the support of most of the spectators in the Estadio Pascual Guerrero and a vibrant atmosphere complete with vuvuzelas. Throw in the strains of South Africa 2010’s official anthem, Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) by Shakira, that could be heard outside the ground and the picture was complete. Not that it appeared to affect opponents New Zealand, who held out for a draw.

Size isn’t everything: Measuring in at an imposing 1.97m, Mali forward Kalifa Coulibaly cut an imposing figure in his side’s clash with Korea Republic. Yet despite using his size and skill with his back to goal to create a host of clear opportunities for his team-mates, particularly in the first half, a collective failure to convert paved the way for the South Koreans' 2-0 success.

Colombia behind their boys: Before taking the field at Bogota’s Estadio Nemesio Camacho, Los Cafeteros got together for a group hug in the dressing room. Determined to fire his team-mates up, skipper Pedro Franco yelled out, “We’re great! We’re really great!”, which was promptly backed up by the squad's fitness coach, who chanted, “There’s 11 of us, but we’ve got 46 million behind us!” Further evidence of the support the Colombians enjoyed came during a moving rendition of the national anthem by the yellow-bedecked crowd, undoubtedly one of the most emotional moments of the competition so far.

The stat

4 – The number of penalties awarded over the course of the day, though only Korea Republic’s Jang Hyun Soo and Colombia’s James Rodriguez could convert from the spot. The latter did blot his copybook slightly when his second penalty of the game was saved by France keeper Jonathan Ligali, while Cameroon’s Christ Mbondi was also denied by Kiwi custodian Stefan Marinovic, though he made amends by slotting home the rebound.

Up next

The only two groups yet to get underway, C and D, join the fray on Sunday. In the former, Spain will attempt to justify their trophy contenders’ tag against Costa Rica, while section rivals Australia and Ecuador also square off. In Group D, Croatia face Saudi Arabia, while Nigeria will expect to take all three points against Guatemala.

Colombia-France quotes

Francis Smerecki, France coach

"We endured the kind of match we’d feared. We were very rarely able to cause the Colombians problems and even after we’d opened the scoring we still felt under constant pressure. I think that the Colombians had more chances than us in the first half. We could have made it 2-2 through that chance for Alexandre Lacazette in the second half, but after that the game slipped away from us. But we never had the initiative, they dictated the tempo. Even when we had the ball we lacked enthusiasm, speed of execution and good distribution. It’s a very average start, but I’m hoping it’ll teach us a lesson ahead of our upcoming games. In our next two matches we’ll need to play like we know we can. This evening, at times, we tried to get a grip on the game but we wasted far too many balls in midfield."

Eduardo Lara, Colombia coach

"The fans’ support was extraordinary. Even when we conceded that goal after around 20 minutes, the crowd really got behind us and that gave us a huge boost in confidence. France are a good team but we were able to make a few adjustments and the lads played a great second half. I took James Rodriguez and Michael Ortega aside for a word, because it was their job to dictate the play. France are very strong in the centre of the park, so you can’t afford to give them space. But [Luis] Muriel, Ortega and Rodriguez are all very skilful and caused them loads of problems. We have to make the most of this World Cup, given that it’s ours, it’s on our patch. It’s like going to a party, you have dance, have fun and make the most of it. I told my lads that they need feel the support of the Colombian people behind them, that’ll give us strength."

Group matches Report

Colombia - France4:1 (1:1)

Match Date Time Venue / Stadium Attendance

8 30 July 2011 21:00 Bogota / Estadio Nemesio Camacho 'El Campin' 32257

Match Officials

Referee

Peter O LEARY (NZL) Assistant Referee 1

Ravinesh KUMAR (FIJ)

Fourth Official

Mark GEIGER (USA) Assistant Referee 2

Jackson NAMO (SOL)

Match Commissioner

Lee HARMON (COK)

Goals scored

Gilles SUNU (FRA) 21', James RODRIGUEZ (COL) 30' Penalty goal, Luis MURIEL (COL) 48', Santiago ARIAS (COL) 64', Luis MURIEL (COL) 66'

Colombia Line-up

[1] Cristian BONILLA (GK)

[3] Pedro FRANCO (C)

[4] Santiago ARIAS (-71')

[5] Hector QUINONES

[6] Didier MORENO

[8] Michael ORTEGA

[9] Luis MURIEL (-87')

[10] James RODRIGUEZ (-78')

[13] Juan CABEZAS

[19] Jeison MURILLO

[20] Jose VALENCIA

Substitute(s)

[12] Andres MARMOLEJO (GK)

[21] Juan VILLATE (GK)

[2] Luciano OSPINA

[7] Fabian CASTILLO

[11] Duvan ZAPATA (+87')

[14] Juan DIAZ (+71')

[15] Yerson CANDELO

[16] Jonny MOSQUERA

[17] Javier CALLE (+78')

[18] Sebastian PEREZ

Coach

Eduardo LARA (COL)

France  Line-up

[21] Jonathan LIGALI (GK)

[5] Sebastien FAURE

[7] Gael KAKUTA (-68')

[8] Gueida FOFANA (C)

[10] Gilles SUNU

[11] Antoine GRIEZMANN (-83')

[12] Kalidou KOULIBALY

[13] Francis COQUELIN

[14] Timothee KOLODZIEJCZAK

[17] Cedric BAKAMBU (-46' HT)

[18] Maxime COLIN

Substitute(s)

[1] Pierrick CROS (GK)

[16] Lucas VERONESE (GK)

[2] Loic NEGO

[3] Thomas FONTAINE [A]

[4] Florian LEJEUNE

[6] Clement GRENIER (+68')

[9] Yannis TAFER (+83')

[15] Lionel CAROLE

[19] Alexandre LACAZETTE (+46' HT)

[20] Enzo REALE

Coach

Francis SMERECKI (FRA)Cautions

Kalidou KOULIBALY (FRA) 29'

Expulsions

Additional time

First Half: 1' Second Half: 2'

Colombia (COL) Statistics France (FRA)

14 Shots 13

8 Shots on goal 6

8 Fouls Committed 12

4 Corner kicks 8

1 Direct Free Kicks to Goal 2

0 Indirect Free Kicks to Goal 0

1 / 2 Penalty Kicks 0 / 0

2 Offsides 1

0 Own Goals 0

0 Cautions 1

0 Expulsions due to Second Caution 0

0 Direct Expulsions 0

55% Possession (%) 45%

29 Actual playing time 23

a.e.t.: After extra time (C): Captain PSO: Penalty Shoot-out

GK: Goalkeeper N: Not eligible to play I: Injured

Y: Yellow cards Pos: Positions A: Absent

U-20 SOCCER WORLD CUP 2011 Twenty-four teams, one trophy

The 15th century saw a plethora of explorers embark on expeditions to the New World, in search of glory and untold riches. Now, in 2011, Colombia, the nation that takes its name from the most famous of those pioneers, is welcoming the world to its shores for a very modern form of swashbuckling adventure.


More than 500 years since Christopher Columbus crossed the ocean, 24 teams from all corners of the globe have travelled to South America with their eyes on one glittering prize: the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

The captain who manages to guide his crew to victory at the event will have the honour of brandishing aloft the striking silver trophy in Bogota on 20 August. Champions last time around in Egypt in 2009, Ghana’s plans of defending their crown were scuppered in qualifying, but five former winners are among the teams keen to succeed them.

Argentina (six wins), Brazil (four), Portugal (two), Spain and France (both one) not only have the proven pedigree, but can also boast squads brimming with players accustomed to competing at the top of the game. La Albiceleste’s Juan Iturbe and Erik Lamela, as well as A Seleção’s Oscar and Philippe Coutinho, have already proved themselves in some of the best leagues in the world, as have French prodigies Gael Kakuta and Antoine Griezmann.

Contenders out to etch new name on trophy

But despite their previous triumphs and the firepower they have at their disposal, these would-be conquerors are not going to have everything their own way in Colombia, especially not as far as the host nation is concerned. Led by winger James Rodriguez, fresh from a fantastic season with Porto, Los Cafeteros intend to combat any incursions into their territory by going on the offensive themselves, as they dream of a glorious conquest on home soil.

England, meanwhile, whose hopes at this level have often been sunk prematurely in the past, are determined to make their mark on the tournament once and for all. To achieve that aim, the English will need to negotiate some tough-looking group-stage encounters with Argentina, Mexico and Korea DPR.

Other nations arriving with the wind in their sails include Cameroon, Egypt, Mali and Nigeria, who hope to make it two African successes in a row at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, following on from Ghana’s eye-catching exploits two years ago. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), on the other hand, has never previously supplied the champions, but Korea DPR, Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia and Australia will attempt to rectify that record.

And despite the absence of USA for the first time since 1995, CONCACAF’s delegation is certainly not to be taken lightly, with Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama and Mexico in particular likely to provide their group opponents with stiff competition.

The remaining European qualifiers, namely Austria and Croatia, will also be confident of departing from the Americas with some newly-acquired silverware. While the Austrians reached the semi-finals in 2007, their last appearance in the competition, the Croatians’ record is not quite as impressive. Their only campaign ended in a Round-of-16 exit at the hands of Brazil in 1999, even though finishing above Argentina in the group phase was a notable achievement in itself.

South America’s other two representatives, Uruguay and Ecuador, may not have had as far to travel as most of the other teams present in Colombia, but both would still prefer to push back the return leg of their journey for as long as possible. Finally, New Zealand, the solitary Oceania side on show, will be aiming to improve on their first and last appearance in the competition in 2007, when they failed to pick up a single point.

Hidden gems

In total, 504 patriotic competitors await whatever the fates have in store for them across eight welcoming host cities: Armenia, Barranquilla, Bogota, Cali, Cartagena, Manizales, Medellin and Pereira.

The players will not be the only ones looking to strike gold during the 18th edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, however, as scouts from some of the biggest clubs on the planet have descended on the event in the hope of discovering the next Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Luis Figo, Rafael Marquez, Andreas Moller, Michael Essien or Junichi Inamoto, all of whom initially rose to prominence at the tournament.

But this year’s competition is not just about going for gold. The colour that organisers hope will make the most lasting impact at Colombia 2011 is green, thanks to the government’s support for the environmentally-friendly initiative known as Green Goal.

“FIFA and the Colombian FA have backed the planting of 35,000 trees in the heart of the country and in the Andean region,” said Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, making reference to one of the key points of the environmental and climate protection programme. “We thank them for their meaningful support for this project, which should provide us with a carbon-neutral World Cup."

As competing sides make final preparations for the crucial duels that lie ahead, and fans look forward to a month of intriguing battles, one thing is clear: the quest for glory is well and truly underway.

Senior internationals set for Manizales kick-off

 

The consensus is that Spain will win Group C at the FIFA U-20 World Cup and that the race for second place in the pool, and a guaranteed place in the Round of 16, is a wide-open race between Costa Rica, Australia and Ecuador. If that is to be trusted then much could rest on the outcome of the contest between the South Americans and the Asian representatives.

The game

Australia-Ecuador, Sunday 31 July, Manizales, 6:00pm (local time)

The stakes

The Young Socceroos are adept at hitting the ground running in this competition, having only lost one of their 13 curtain-raisers. And although that was in the previous edition two years ago, Jan Versleijen has a considerably stronger squad this time around, including highly-rated captain Ben Kantarovski and senior international winger Tommy Oar. Sixto Vizuete, who was at the Ecuador reins during their South Africa 2010 qualification bid, also has a full international at his disposal as he leads the country into their second FIFA U-20 World Cup: the jet-heeled Edson Montano, who plays his club football for Gent in Belgium and has been tipped to become one of the finest La Tri forwards in decades.

The stat

8 – The number of years since Australia last won a match at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Since upsetting eventual champions Brazil 3-2 in a group-stage game at UAE 2003, the Socceroos have drawn twice and lost five times. Prior to their current seven-match winless streak, the Australians had recorded 16 victories and losses apiece in the tournament.

The words

Jan Versleijen, Australia coach: “It is is good to have the majority of the squad back together that did so well at the AFC Championships last year. It is also good to see that since last October the majority of the players have progressed to the starting line-ups of their respective Hyundai A-League or overseas based clubs.”

Sixto Vizuete, Ecuador coach: “We don’t know much about the Australians yet, but in general terms their football has become very European in style. They’ve got very strong players and I can’t see their U-20 squad being any different.”

Hosts and European champs resume rivalry

Colombia face France as both sides make their first appearances at this FIFA U-20 World Cup. The two title hopefuls square off in Group A, with Los Cafeteros out to delight their home crowd and Les Bleuets determined to confirm their status as genuine contenders for the trophy.

The match

Colombia-France, Saturday 30 July, Bogota, 20.00 (local time)

The stakes

Colombia and France know each other well, having met in the final of the Toulon Tournament last month. The match went to penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time, and it was the South Americans who emerged victorious. Coach Eduardo Lara will be hoping his side can maintain the positive form they have shown since their below-par performance at the South American Youth Championship earlier this year. With players like Porto’s James Rodriguez among their ranks, Colombia have every chance of mounting a strong challenge.

For their part, France will be making their first FIFA U-20 World Cup appearance in a decade. The reigning European champions will be looking to key men Gael Kakuta and Antoine Griezmann for inspiration, and the pair will no doubt be keen to help the team build on that impressive continental triumph.

The stat

2 – Only two teams have won the FIFA U-20 World Cup as hosts: Portugal in 1991 and Argentina in 2001. Can Colombia add their name to the list in 2011?

The words

Eduardo Lara, Colombia coach: “We can’t afford to switch off or make mistakes against France, because they’re a very dangerous opponent. The tactical side is ready, so all that’s left is to wait and see how the players respond."

Antoine Griezmann, France forward: “Colombia are playing at home and the stadium will be full. This is the most important match of the group phase, and the one I’m fearing the most.”

Mali, Korea Republic seek quick lift-off

Group A will kick off with a fascinating encounter at the Estadio Nemesio Camacho in Bogota, with Mali and Korea Republic expected to contest the first of several tight games in an evenly balanced pool.

The two sides exploded out of the blocks in qualifying before later losing momentum, and they will be keen to make a similarly strong start to keep the pressure on Colombia and France.

The game

Mali-Korea Republic, Bogota, Saturday 30 July, 17.00 (local time)

The stakes

As outsiders, Mali and Korea Republic will be desperate to rack up early points and that should make for an entertaining spectacle in the Colombian capital. The Africans have been careful not to play up their chances in the competition, but they boast an experienced youth coach in Cheik Fantamady Diallo, who has labelled his squad “one of the best generations in Mali’s history”.

The challenge for Korea Republic will be to cope without key attacking trio Ji Dong-Won, Son Heung-Min and Nam Tae-Hee, whose performances for the U-17s have earned them promotion to U-23 and senior levels. Coach Lee Kwang-Jong is not unduly concerned, however, and has played up his side as potential semi-finalists who can beat all three of their section rivals.

If they meet his target, the young Taeguk Warriors will grace the last four for the first time since 1983, when they were stopped in their tracks by eventual winners Brazil. As for the Flying Eagles, they can look a little closer to the present for inspiration, having reached the semi-finals of Nigeria 1999 with a line-up featuring Seydou Keita.

The stat

4 – The number of goals Korea Republic slotted past Mali in their only previous U-20 meeting, in 1999. However, the African side went on to finish third – the best-ever performance by any Malian side in a major global tournament. Their successors would no doubt cherish a repeat display.

The words

"Our youngsters will show that they’re ambassadors for the whole continent and make Mali the showcase for an Africa that wins things. I can only encourage them to be willing to make sacrifices and tell them that the people of Mali will be behind them during this adventure,” Amadou Toumani Toure, Mali President

"Our goal is to do better than we did last time, when we reached the quarter-finals. The semis would be a great result for us,” Lee Kwang-Jong, Korea Republic coach

Cameroon, Kiwis eye strong start

Though it is Portugal and Uruguay who currently enjoy the Group B favourites’ tags, Cameroon and New Zealand will be determined to show that their lesser FIFA U-20 World Cup pedigree does not rule them out of chasing a knockout berth. This Saturday’s clash between the latter pair could therefore prove decisive for both teams’ hopes, with defeat for either a significant first step towards an early exit.

The game

Cameroon-New Zealand, Cali, Saturday 30 July, 17.00 (local time)

The stakes

After finishing runners-up at April/May’s CAF African Youth Championship, Cameroon will aim to continue their good run of form and kick off their Colombia 2011 campaign with all three points. On the back of a 15-day preparatory period in Venezuela, featuring friendly clashes and a win over Guatemala, the Cameroon contingent arrived in Cali in confident mood. However, they may rue the absence of Edgar Salli, one of the country’s brightest talents, whose non-involvement is a blow to the Africans’ hopes of finally making a serious impact at what will be their sixth FIFA U-20 World Cup.

New Zealand, for their part, find themselves in a similar situation. After a preparatory sojourn in North America, where they found the going tough against a number of local teams, the Kiwis touched down in Cali only for the promising Marco Rojas to promptly succumb to a thigh injury. “He’s a huge loss,” said coach Chris Milicich, whose medical staff will surely be working on Rojas round the clock so the attacking midfielder can play some part in the competition. Without him, can the New Zealanders improve on the three group defeats and just one goal scored from their only previous FIFA U-20 World Cup appearance in 2007?

The stat

5 – Cameroon’s best performance to date at a FIFA U-20 World Cup came when finishing fifth at the 1995 event. They have never finished higher than 12th in their other four appearances, a statistic they will be keen to improve on at Colombia 2011.

The words

“All our group games will be tricky, mainly because all the teams have different styles. We need to get off to a good start and then try and pick up as many points as possible from the other games,” Cameroon coach Martin Ndtoungou

“Our preparations had been going excellently. The conditions were ideal in California, but we now need to fine-tune a few small things in attack. That’s mainly because we’ve lost our main attacking threat,” New Zealand coach Chris Milicich

Booming Uruguay face off-song Portugal

In the even-looking Group B, the opening round of games features a meeting of two sides with plenty of pedigree in international youth football, both of whom have high hopes for this FIFA U-20 World Cup. Indeed Portugal and Uruguay will square off at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali, knowing a win would be an important first step towards reaching the next round.

The game

Portugal-Uruguay, Cali, Saturday 30 July, 20.00 (local time)

The stakes

Winners of the 1989 and 1991 editions of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, Portugal’s class of 2011 have a weighty burden of history on their shoulders. Nor do the Lusitanians look like they will have an easy ride, having failed to convince at the 2009/10 UEFA European U-19 Championship, despite securing qualification for Colombia 2011. They were subsequently unable to negotiate their group at June’s Toulon Tournament and only finished third, behind Mexico and Panama, at a recent warm-up competition. However, coach Ilidio Vale remains confident his team have prepared well and will grow in stature as Colombia 2011 progresses.

Though they have yet to win the global U-20 crown, Uruguay can point to a runners-up finish in 1997 and two further semi-final appearances. La Celeste go into the competition buoyed by second spot at this year’s South American U-20 Championship, where only Brazil finished ahead of them, and by recent successes achieved by the country’s U-17 and senior squads. One negative note is the absence through suspension of the highly promising Adrian Luna, which will further hamper the attacking prowess of a side which scored just ten times in nine matches in qualifying.

The stat

4 – This will be the fourth meeting between Portugal and Uruguay at this competition. The South Americans currently have the edge thanks to two wins - in the 1979 quarter-finals and the 1993 group phase - and one draw, which came in the first round at the 1999 event.

The words

Ilidio Vale, Portugal coach: “The team is getting stronger, they’re more competitive and intelligent in their approach to games. But we’re not going to hit our peak until the tournament gets going.”

Juan Verzeri, Uruguay coach: “The recent good results will put more responsibility on our shoulders. It’s a magical time [for Uruguayan football], which spurs us on to work hard. We’ll take it one game at a time, but we want to go as far as we possibly can."

Spanish set out with Costa Rican test

Joel Campbell of Costa Rica and Spain's Sergio Canales are two of the most glistening prospects on planet football. They are set to square off as the Iberians begin their bid to win a second FIFA trophy of the decade and the Central Americans set out to surpass reaching the semi-finals two years ago.

The game

Costa Rica-Spain, Sunday 31 July, Manizales, 3:00pm (local time)

The stakes

Spanish football is on a high. They won the FIFA World Cup™ last year and the UEFA European U-21 Championship last month, while the country also houses the UEFA Champions League holders – an exceptional Barcelona side which comprises three graduates of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique. Out to emulate the former, who inspired La Roja to their only triumph in this competition in 1999, will be another supremely talented cast headlined by Real Madrid ace Sergio Canales. But while many believe a Spain victory in their Group C curtain-raiser is a formality, Costa Rica proved themselves a force to be reckoned with in the previous edition of this tournament two year ago, when they reached the semi-finals before a narrow defeat by Brazil ended their trophy hopes. And with Joel Campbell, a tricky forward coveted by a selection of European giants, eager to continue the eye-catching form he showcased at the recent CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa America events, Spain know they have a game on their hands.

The stat

40 – The age that makes Costa Rica's Ronald Gonzalez the youngest coach at this tournament. The former defender, who scored the only goal against Colombia at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 1989, was, at 19, the youngest player to find the target at the FIFA World Cup one year later.

The words

Ronald Gonzalez, Costa Rica coach: “Spain always keep the ball and when they change the speed of the play, they are very dangerous. But we have been analysing their traits and working on pressurising them.”

Daniel Pacheco, Spain forward: “I believe Costa Rica will be tough opponents. They've have a good trajectory and have quality players – we know all about Campbell.”