Under20 World Cup Groups DrawnEngland given tough group

England have been handed a tough draw this morning after the Group Stages were drawn for the Under-20 World Cup Finals which is being held this year in Columbia.
England begin their campaign against North Korea but then have to play Mexico and arguably the best team at Under-20 level Argentina.
Brian Eastwicks side haven't covered themselves in glory in the past. The best the U20's have achived was a third place finish, beating Australia in 1993. Argentina on the other hand have won five of the last eight competitions so will no doubt be favourites to lift the trophy this year.
Mexico are five-time quarter finalists so are no mugs but England who could play Jack Wilshere, Jack Rodwell and Danny Welbeck should have enough to get past them and then there's North Korea
In the 2010 World Cup North Korea gave their all but just didn't have the skills or experience to put their stamp on the tournament and that is what is expected from their kids.
We are still waiting for the line-up to be completed. One game has yet to be played. New Zealand play Solomon Island for the final place which will see them in Group B with Portugal, Cameroon and Uruguay.

Do you think we should send in the big guns and go for glory or should the Premier League be the main priotity and let the likes of Wilshere and Rodwell get a pre-season under their belt ready for the new season.
Leave a comment.

Group Stages:

A) Colombia, France, Mali, South Korea
B) Portugal, Uruguay, Cameroon, New Zealand/Solomon Islands
C) Australia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Spain
D) Croatia, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Guatemala
E) Brazil, Egypt, Australia, Panama
F) Argentina, Mexico, England, North Korea

Tournament begins July 29th until August 20th

Ryo hoping to impress in ArgentinaJapanese star hoping tournament kicks off Arsenal career

Arsenals Japanese winger Ryo Miyaichi could be set to make his debut for the Gunners at the beginning of the 2011/12 season but everything depends on whether he plays for Japan during the Copa America which begins in July.


Miyaichi, 18 signed for Arsenal in January this year but due to work permit problems the winger wasn't allowed to stay in the country so Arsene Wenger allowed the U17 and U20 international to join Feyenoord on loan until the end of the season.


While in Holland Miyaichi has been in impressive form for De club aan de Maas netting 3 goals in 10 appearnaces and has even earned the nickname Ryodinho due to his playing style being compared to the Brazilian Ronaldinho.


Italian club Udinese are apparently monitoring the situation but Arsenal's hierachy believe Miyaichi is one for the future and want to hold on to him.


Japan were invited to appear in the Copa America and initially pulled out due to its clashing with the beginning of the reformed J-League but now the Japanese FA have agreed to send a team out to Argentina for the tournament and Miyaichi is expected to earn his first cap for the national side and possibly a starring role for the Gunners next season.


Arsenal fans are you looking forward to seeing if Miyaichi is as good as people think, will this make you watch the Copa America during the close season. Let us know email jaymoe26@gmail.com or twitter @jamiemason76

Argentina 0 Germany 4

Scorers: Klose (Ger) 2 goals, Muller (Ger), Friedrich (Ger)

Attendance: 64100

Germany are through to the semi-finals after producing another masterful performance to beat Argentina 4-0 at Cape Town’s Green Point Stadium. Diego Maradona’s Albiceleste came into this match with high hopes of avenging their quarter-final defeat in 2006 but they ultimately had no answer to a slick, powerful German side who will now face either Spain or Paraguay in the last four.

Games as eagerly-anticipated as this one often disappoint, but this particular encounter took just three minutes to catch fire as Joachim Low's side snatched an early advantage. Bastian Schweinsteiger provided the assist with a superbly judged inswinging free-kick, and with Sergio Romero caught in no man’s land, Thomas Muller applied the slightest of headed touches to flick the ball into the net. It was Germany’s 200th FIFA World Cup™ goal, their fastest in 32 years and the quickest so far at South Africa 2010. The only downside for Low’s side was that it left Argentina with 87 minutes to respond.

However, it was the Germans who continued to carve out the better chances, with Miroslav Klose - winning his 100th cap – firing wastefully over from the edge of the box after some outstanding, unselfish set-up play from Muller. Argentina attempted to grab a foothold, with Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain creating decent shooting positions, but on each occasion Manuel Neuer proved equal to their goal-bound efforts.

Nevertheless, as the match wore on, La Albiceleste relied increasingly on speculative long-range efforts, with the subdued Lionel Messi firing over just before the break and Di Maria missing the left-hand post by a matter of inches with a ferociously-struck 25-yard drive. Germany also remained a constant threat on the break, and Podolski – who had earlier come close to scoring himself – was to lead the counter-attack that provided Low’s team with their all-important second goal.

With the second half reaching its midway point, the Cologne forward broke clear on the left and, from a position where he would have been forgiven for shooting, he instead squared intelligently for Klose to tap home from inside the six yard box. The goal left Argentina with little option but to throw men forward, and with Diego Maradona’s side over-committed, Germany proceeded to pick them off on the break.

Within six minutes of Klose making it two, Arne Friedrich removed any lingering doubts over the outcome with another close-range finish, profiting on this occasion from a dazzling solo run from the excellent Schweinsteiger. There was even time for Klose to rub salt into Argentinian wounds, side-footing home Mesut Ozil's measured cross with a minute remaining to round off a memorable German win. 

Argentina 3 Mexico 1

Scorers: Tevez (Arg) 2 goals, Higuain (Arg), Hernandez (Mex)

Attendance: 84377

Argentina set up another FIFA World Cup™ quarter-final against Germany by overcoming Mexico 3-1 at Johannesburg's Soccer City Stadium. Carlos Tevez emerged as the hero with a brace of goals, while Gonzalo Higuain was also on target as Diego Maradona's Albiceleste set up a rematch against their 2006 conquerors.

The Mexicans ultimately proved no match for their clinical South American opponents, yet it all started so promisingly for Javier Aguirre's side, with Carlos Salcido rattling the crossbar with a stunning long-range drive after just eight minutes. There was another lucky escape for Argentina just a minute later, when Andres Guardado drilled in a shot from the edge of the box that spun away from the far post just as the net looked set to bulge.

Maradona's side were hardly lacking in attacking menace themselves, however, and Lionel Messi soon embarked on one of his trademark elusive runs before attempting a chip over Oscar Perez that the Mexico keeper judged well. Messi's hunt for a goal at South Africa 2010 continues, but it was not long before the Barcelona talisman played a key role as another of Argentina's star forwards opened his tournament account.

Tevez might have thought his chance had gone when Perez raced out to block bravely at his feet, but Messi was quick-witted enough to return the ball towards goal, where the Manchester City striker was waiting to head home. Breaking the deadlock enabled Argentina to take a firm grip on proceedings, and within seven minutes that hold was strengthened as Mexico reached for the self-destruct button.

Quite what Ricardo Osorio was thinking when he played a square pass to the feet of Higuain is unclear, but it was a gift the Real Madrid striker readily accepted, coolly dragging the ball around the grounded Perez before side-footing into the empty net for his fourth goal of the tournament. Even with the best part of an hour remaining, it was difficult to envisage Mexico finding a way back into this match, and Argentina could have been out of sight altogether by half-time had Higuain not headed wastefully wide with the goal at his mercy. Maradona's men are capable of scoring at any time though, and from any situation – as Tevez proved six minutes into the second half.

The Albiceleste No11 benefited from a fortuitous break 25 yards from goal, but there was no luck involved in what followed, with Tevez lashing an unstoppable drive into the top-right-hand corner for one of the goals of the tournament. Mexico must have realised the game was up at this stage, but it was to their credit that they continued to attack with conviction, and they should have pulled a goal back on 63 minutes when Javier Hernandez headed over when it seemed easier to score.

The Manchester United-bound youngster made amends with 19 minutes remaining, however, brilliantly turning Martin Demichelis on the edge of the box before rifling a stunning left-foot shot into the roof of the Argentinian net. It would prove scant consolation for the crestfallen Mexicans, but whileEl Tri return home with their dreams dashed, Argentina can begin plotting revenge against some familiar foes.

Greece 0 Argentina 2

Scorers: Demichelis (Arg), Palermo (Arg)

Attendance: 38891

Argentina booked a last-16 date with Mexico as their two Martins – Demichelis and Palermo – ended Greece's faint hopes of qualification by wrapping up a 2-0 victory in Polokwane. Greece had kept the South Americans at bay until the 77th minute but they could do little to prevent Diego Maradona's side from securing top spot in Group B with an impressive win at the Peter Mokoba stadium.

Otto Rehhagel's side simply needed to better the result of Korea Republic to claim a place in the last 16, and with Maradona rotating his starting 11, as expected, with no fewer than seven changes from the side that swept aside Korea Republic, the Greeks could must have felt more confident of achieving their aim.

However, there was no doubting Greece had a Herculean task on their hands, and they were virtual by-standers in the opening minutes as Argentina stroked the ball around confidently, guided by the returning Juan Veron. Lionel Messi, lively from the start, demonstrated his threat as early as the tenth minute, riding the challenges of Konstantinos Kastouranis and Alexandros Tziolis, before eventually being stopped in his tracks by the outstretched leg of Sokratis Papastathoppoulos.

Greece were defending in numbers in a bid to thwart their opponents, and were relying on long balls into Georgios Samaras in any bid to switch defence into attack. However, if Rehhagel's side were slowly finding their feet – only the outstretched leg of Martin Demechelis brought an end to Samaras's promising charge into the box 12 minutes in – Maradona's side were still well in command.

And when the southern Europeans' sporadic attacks broke down, the action quickly switched back to the other end, where Alexandro Tzvorvas was unquestionably the busiest man of the night. Sergio Aguero smashed in a left-footed drive which he athletically palmed away, and the Greece goalkeeper had to be equally alert moments later, when the power of the long-range drive from Veron was only matched by the quality of Tzvorvas's tip-over.

If Greece were going to claw their way back into this game it was going to be through Samaras. Just two minutes into the second period, the Celtic forward was picked out with another long ball but, despite wriggling free of his markers, he could only flash his shot wide. However, the momentum remained with Argentina, who needed just a draw to see them into the last 16. Diego Milito might have headed them into a lead, but the striker failed to connect with Clemente Rodriguez's dangerous-looking cross and, shortly after, Rodriquez had a go himself from long range but was unable to find the target.

Messi and Mario Bolatti were both thwarted by Tzvorvas as the decibel level rose in the Peter Mokaba stadium. And the noise levels went through the roof in the 77th minute when Demichelis's goalbound header from an Angel Di Maria corner rebounded off Milito and back into the path of the Argentina defender, who gratefully smashed home a left-footed shot to give Maradona's side the lead they had long threatened.

Messi, Argentina's captain for the night, was denied by the post and then Tzvorvas in the dying minutes, but Greece could do nothing to stop Martin Palermo from side-footing home Argentina's second a minute from time after Messi had again been thwarted

Argentina 1 Nigeria 0

Scorers: Heinze (Arg)

Attendance: 50389

Argentina joined Saturday's earlier winners Korea Republic on three points in Group B with a 1-0 victory over Nigeria at Johannesburg's packed Ellis Park. Gabriel Heinze scored the game's only goal with a diving header from a corner in just the sixth minute, although the two-time FIFA World Cup™ winners would have added more if not for the heroics of Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and their own wasteful finishing.

As early as the fourth minute, FIFA World Player of the Year Lionel Messi burst through the Super Eagles' defence and set up Gonzalo Higuain in front of goal, but the Real Madrid man blazed wide of the target. Two minutes later Messi tested Enyeama from 20 yards out, but the Israel-based goalkeeper saved well with a dive to his right. However, from the resulting corner, Heinze ran free of his marker and made no mistake with his header from the penalty spot. The early goal sent coach Diego Maradona into raptures on the sideline, and surely he must have thought there was more to come.

Messi was a constant thorn in the side of the Nigeria defence, and in the 18th minute he cut inside and curled a left-footed shot towards goal from 25 yards out. But Enyeama was up to the task with a fine save at his post. Three minutes later, the Albiceleste threatened again but Higuain blasted his point-blank shot right into the goalkeeper. Enyeama was the Nigerian hero another time shortly after, denying Messi with his fingertips when it seemed like his curling shot would sneak in.

The introduction of Obafemi Martins early in the second period sparked Nigeria into life. The Wolfsburg forward showed his pace on the hour to latch onto a through-ball and play in Sani Kaita but he blasted over from 25 yards out. As the match opened up, Argentina found more room in the attacking third. In the 65th minute, they counter-attacked quickly to find themselves four-on-two and bearing down on the Nigeria defence. Carlos Tevez slid the ball dangerously into the middle, Angel Di Maria let the ball carry on to Messi, but the Barcelona superstar hit his shot agonisingly wide. Messi then set up Higuain for another opening, but Enyeama was again the victor in that head-to-head duel.

In the 71st minute, Nigeria left-back Taye Taiwo blasted a shot just wide of the post from the edge of the area, injuring himself in the process. His replacement, Kalu Uche, had the best chance of the night for the Super Eagles in the 83rd minute, but he failed to keep down an effort from 12 yards out despite being left unmarked. Nigeria next face Greece on 17 June in Manguang/Bloemfontein, when Argentina and Korea Republic will battle it out for top spot in the group at Johannesburg’s Soccer City

Argentina: 22. Romero, 2. Demichelis, 06. Heinze, 7. Di Maria, 8. Veron, 9. Higuain, 10. Messi, 11. Tevez, 13. Samuel, 14. Mascherano, 17. Gutierrez

Subs Used: 4. Burdisso, 19. Milito, 20. Maxi

Nigeria: 1. Enyeama, 2. Yobo, 3. Taiwo, 6. Shittu, 8. Yakubu. 14, Kaita, 15. Haruna, 17. Odiah, 18. Obinna, 19. Obasi Ogbuke, 20. Etuhu

Subs Used: 9. Martins, 11. Odemwingie, 12. Uche