Preview: Mexico face a must-win clash against down and out Chile when the teams meet in a Group F encounter of the FIFA U-17 World Cup on Saturday. [caption id=“attachment_4141899” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
File image of Mexico U-17. @FIFA.com[/caption] Mexico were held 1-1 by surprise package Iraq in their first match. They went on to suffer a narrow 2-3 reverse against England. The Central Americans are currently third in the group with one point. Even if the Mexicans win on Saturday, only a defeat for Iraq against the English in Saturday’s other Group F match will enable them to finish second in the group. A win or a draw for Iraq will leave Mexico with very little chance to advance to the next stage. Chile, on the other hand, will aim to finish a rather disappointing campaign on a positive note. The South Americans have conceded seven goals without a reply in the two group matches they have played so far. Their nightmare started with a 0-4 drubbing against England and they were blanked 3-0 by Iraq in their second match. Chile are a proud footballing nation with loads of pedigree at the senior level. A win in their last match at this edition of the U-17 World Cup will help salvage at least some of that lost pride.
Highlights, FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017, Mexico vs Chile, Football Match Result: Mexico qualify to Round of 16
Catch the live score and updates of Mexico’s clash with Chile in Group F
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That’s it from the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, which also brings us to the end of the group-stage fixtures of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. England, who routed Iraq 4-0 at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, tops Group F while Iraq and Mexico qualify as well.
The Mexican coach and fans will be worried about his side’s inability to score goals against organized defensive units for they will be facing the high-flying Iran in the Round of 16. Diego Lainez and Jairo Torres have been the bright spots on the Mexican side, but it is high time the others step up as well.
Chile, on the other hand, will take heart from the fact that they managed to end their otherwise disappointing campaign with a solid defensive performance, similar to their showings in the U-17 CONMEBOL championships earlier this year. Hernan Caputto’s side struggled to adapt to Indian conditions all along and paid a dear price for their mistakes in the first two games.
FULL-TIME: Mexico 0-0 Chile
And it’s Mexico who will enter the Round of 16. All they needed was a point to qualify. Well, they could have bagged all the three points but their finishing was a big let down tonight.
Chile, like India, failed to register a single win in this competition.
91’ Mexico 0-0
Mexico just can’t find it in themselves to score. Borquez almost hands away from the win by coming too far out of his line and losing possession in the midfield. Roberto de La Rosa won the ball and had just one Mexican defender to beat, but manages to hit the crossbar.
89’ Mexico 0-0 Chile
Ninety minutes are almost up and neither Chile nor Mexico have managed to find the back of the net. As it stands, the Mexicans qualify as the best third-placed team.
86’ Mexico 0-0 Chile
Mexico’s finest chance of the second half comes through Diego Lainez’s moment of brilliance on the left flank when he got the better of three Chilean defenders to set up Jairo Torres, but Mexico’s No. 7 just shoots over.
83’ Mexico 0-0 Chile
Chile are playing with all eleven men behind the ball as Caputto’s side is focussing on keeping their clean sheet intact, rather than attempting to attack and end up exposing Julio Borquez.
80’ Mexico 0-0 Chile
It is now or never for Caputto’s young guns as we approach the 90-minute mark. Chile need to score in the final 10 minutes (plus stoppage time) to end Mexico’s hopes of qualifying for the Round of 16.
75’ Mexico 0-0 Chile
The Mexican defence, which wasn’t tested much in the first half, has come under little pressure in the last ten minutes, but it’s still goalless at Guwahati. Mexico have attempted to hurt Chile on the counter, but without any success.
70’ Mexico 0-0 Chile
Surprisingly, Chile are the ones who have attacked from the wings in the last five minutes. Despite Mexico’s dominance, the South Americans have started to come back into the match slowly
65’ Mexico 0-0 Chile
A possession score of 70%, seven shots on goal and five corners – yet Mexico have not managed to create a clear-cut goalscoring opportunity. It speaks volumes about Chile’s defence, as it does about the lack of a genuine goalscorer in the Mexican ranks.
With less than half an hour to go, Chile are looking to express themselves, mounting the occasional attack. An unlikely goal will not only surprise the Guwahati crowd but could also eliminate Mexico from the tournament.
60’ Mexico 0-0 Chile
Mexico’s midfield looks well organised and that is one of the reasons why Chile are finding it difficult to find spaces in the final third.
55’ Mexico 0-0 Chile
Mexico’s inability to break down the Chilean defense in spite of sustained pressure does not bode well for Artaega’s side. The CONCACAF champions have been pretty one-dimensional in their attack so far, and with Chile’s narrow defending shutting out Lainez and Torres, Mexico have been rendered ineffective all through the night.
50’ Mexico 0-0 Chile
The Chilean coach is looking very frustrated on the touchline. Mexico, on the other hand, have maintained the pressure on their opponents. Will they earn all the three points tonight?
HT – Mexico 0 Chile 0
Mexico almost breaks the deadlock in the last minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half, with Roberto de La Rosa wrong-footing two Chilean defenders, but somehow Chile manage to clear the ball and Borquez goes into the half-time, with his clean sheet intact.
44’ Mexico 0-0 Chile
With five minutes plus stoppage time to go until half-time, it is still goalless in Guwahati. Chile’s attack has been pretty much non-existent, while Borquez and a dogged defence continues to thwart Mexico’s goalscoring aspirations. The way it stands, Mexico won’t complain about they are looking the favourites to clinch this do-or-die game.
39’ Mexico 0-0 Chile
Mexico have attacked brilliantly but it is all about their opponent’s defensive prowess. Chile are well organised as we approach the half-time mark.
1’ MEX 0-0 CHI
It’s kick-off at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.
England takes on Iraq in the final group-stage fixture at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. With the Kolkata crowd already having witnessed a number of historic moments from Iraq’s first ever win in a FIFA World Cup to the first female referee in New Caledonia’s surprise draw against Japan earlier today, the stadium is buzzing with anticipation.
The starting line-ups have already been announced, with quite a few new faces on both sides.
England Starting XI: Crellin, Gibson, Guehi, Gomes, Sancho, Kirby, Latibeaudiere, Loader, Smith Rowe, Sessegnon, Gallagher.
Iraq Starting XI: Ibadi, Habeeb Mohammed, Maytham Jabbar, Muntadher Abdulsada, Ali Kareem, Mohammed Ridha, Bassam Shakir, Abdullabas Ayad, Mohammed Albaquer, Mohammed Ali, Moamel Kareem.