FIFA Under-17 World Cup: Methodical Germany subdues Guinea

Spain dominates North Korea but has only two goals to show for it

October 13, 2017 10:33 pm | Updated December 03, 2021 10:43 am IST - Kochi

Goalscorer:  Nicolas Kuhn, centre, celebrates after scoring the second goal.

Goalscorer: Nicolas Kuhn, centre, celebrates after scoring the second goal.

Germany won the match but the brave and energetic Guinea won the hearts of the few thousand fans, who had gathered to watch the crucial Group C match of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here on Friday.

The 3-1 win for Germany ensured its qualification into the next round. Though Guinea showed verve Germany was methodical and professional in snuffing out the challenge.

Guinea’s rugged and physical approach disturbed the pristine and organised game of the Germans but when it came to the matter of scoring it was Germany which converted the chances that came its way.

The Germans were to some extent also aided by a fragile Guinean defence. The margin would have been much more but for the resourcefulness shown by goalkeeper Mohamed Camara.

The German brio was all too apparent in the opening minutes during which it forced a free-kick and corner. However, the eighth minute opening goal came from a defensive error and was fortuitous.

FIFA UNDER-17 WORLD CUP

FIFA UNDER-17 WORLD CUP

 

Dennis Jastrzembski challenged Ismael Traore and the latter’s desperate shot ricochetted off Jastrzembski’s legs and fell to the unchallenged German captain Jann-Fiete Arp, who had no difficultly in beating goalkeeper Mohammed Camara.

Then came a period of Guinean dominance — it moved the ball into the German box from both flanks — during which it earned a well-deserved equaliser off a goalmouth melee in the 26th minute.

The move was initiated by captain Fandje Toure whose through-ball was collected by Aguibou Camara inside the box. Aguibou, despite being harried by German defenders, managed to control the ball and take a shot at goal but it rebounded off defender Dominik Becket’s body and came to Ibrahima Soumah at the far post. Ibrahima easily foxed Josha Vagnoman with a feint and scored the equaliser.

Germany regrouped in the second half. Arp controlled the midfield and the Guinea goal came under pressure quite early but the goalkeeper brought off successive saves off Elias Abouchabaka and Nicolas Kuhn to keep his side in contention.

However, the Germans couldn’t be denied for long as Apr won the ball in midfield and sliced open the defence with a diagonal pass for an unmarked Nicholas Kuhn, who placed the ball into the open net in the 62nd minute.

 

Guinea continued to attack and create chances but couldn’t break down the German defence. A German counter-attack in injury time saw Sekou Camara bringing down Jessic Ngankam inside the box. The resultant penalty was slotted in by Sahverdi Cetin in the 92 minute.

Later in the night, Spain played its best match of the the tournament but didn’t have many goals to show for its dominance. The crossbar and the post came in the way of at least three more Spanish goals. The two nil win over North Korea, however, means that the European powerhouse’s progresses to the knockouts.

Spain had a great start when Mohamed Moukhliss put it ahead in the fourth minute off a cross from Cesar Gelabert.

In the second half, Gelabert increased the lead in the 71st minute after a sustained period of Spanish domination.

The results: Germany 3 (Jann-Fiete Arp 8, Nicholas Kuhn 62, Sahverdi Cetin 90+2) bt Guinea 1 (Ibrahima Soumah 26).

Spain 2 (Mohamed Moukhliss 4, Cesar Gelabert 71) bt North Korea 0.

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