Sports Writing (EFE).- Uruguay and Italy will star this Sunday in an unprecedented final in the history of the FIFA U-20 World Cup
La Celeste and La Azzurra will meet at the Único de La Plata stadium in search of the first title for their showcases.
1. Uruguay and its third final: Will it be the charm?
After playing two category finals, in Malaysia 1997, where they lost to Argentina, and in Turkey 2013, which they lost to France, Uruguay has qualified for its third U-20 World Cup final.
Today they beat Israel 1-0 with a goal from Anderson Duarte at minute 61 to the delight of thousands of Uruguayans who crossed the Río de la Plata to support those led by Marcelo Broli.
La Celeste dominated the first half of a match played in front of more than 25,000 fans at the Estadio Único Diego Armando Maradona.
The goal came after a showy play by Alan Maturro that goalkeeper Zarfati half contained. Duarte grabbed the rebound and pushed the ball into the back of the net.
Israel felt the blow and could do nothing after that goal.
2. The Azzurri will play their first U-20 World Cup final
Italy, superior in the previous instances, today suffered to defeat South Korea 2-1 in a match that was defined in the final minutes with a great goal from Simone Pafundi.
In this way, the European team managed to access the last match of a tournament that resists them, since they fell in the semifinals of 2017 and 2019 against teams that later took the trophy home.
3. A World Cup with 147 goals with two games to go
50 of the 52 World Cup matches played until this Thursday, 149 goals have been scored, for an average of 2.98 per game.
On this Thursday’s day, four scores were converted for an average of 2 per commitment.
4. Casadei, top scorer
Italy captain Césare Casadei, who provided the goal that put the Squadra ahead over South Korea, alone leads the World Cup scoring charts with seven.
His consecration is assured.
Behind Casadei, and already out of the competition, the Brazilian Marcos Leonardo, finished the competition with 5 goals; and the Colombian Oscar Cortés, third with 4 goals.