Mali, Costa Rica, Burkina Faso and Argentina advance

PORT-OF-SPAIN (TRINIDAD), SEPT. 21. Mali, Costa Rica, Burkina Faso and Argentina advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIFA under-17 World Championships.

Argentina won Group `C' on Thursday, beating Spain 4- 2, and Burkina Faso finished second, tying 1-1 with Oman in the earlier Group `C' game. In Group `D', Paraguay edged out Iran 3-2 while Mali beat Costa Rica 2-0.

On Sunday, Brazil will play France and Australia will meet Nigeria. On Monday, Argentina will take on Mali and Costa Rica will play Burkina Faso. Against Spain, captain Hugo Colace of Argentina opened scoring in the fourth minute with a penalty. But the Spaniards fought back and led 2-1 at the half, thanks to strikes by Bauza Guillermo in the 24th and Jose Senel in the 30th.

Argentina bounced back in the second half. Star striker Maximiliano Lopez evened things at 2-2 with a wicked strike outside the penalty area in the 56th. It completed the job with 16-year-old Pablo Zabalata netting a goal in the 73rd minute. Argentine Marcos Aguirre also scored on a breakaway in the final minutes. Earlier on Thursday at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Burkina Faso tied with Oman. Burkina Faso's Aziz Abdoul Nikiema scored in the 22nd minute, but Oman came back in the 33rd minute with a goal from Mohamed Al Hinai. The tie assured Burkina Faso a place in the quarterfinals.

- AP

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