Iraq Say They Will Work Hard To Qualify

0

Surprise packages Iraq will hope to raise more eyebrows when they face South America?s resurgent side Uruguay in the semifinals of the 2013 FIFA Under-20 World Cup. The match is set for Wednesday night at the H?seyin Avni Aker Stadium in Trabzon

Iraq have defied the odds in Turkey 2013: the former war ravaged country have played some eye catching football and accounted for the scalps of the more fancied sides.

They are the only one of the four semifinalists yet to taste defeat in this edition of the competition.

This also the first time that the Asian side has reached the last four of a FIFA competition at any age level, though they did make it all the way to the semifinals at the Men?s Olympic Football Tournament Athens 2004.

The Uruguayans have also improved as the tournament has progressed. Since going down to Croatia in their group opener, they have strung together wins against New Zealand, Uzbekistan, Nigeria and, most impressively of all, pre-tournament favourites Spain. Their exploits in this competition should not be a major surprise.

Their senior national team has been one of the most consistent in the last four years after reaching the semifinals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup followed by capturing the 2011 Copa America title and then finishing fourth at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup last month.

They are on course to match their competition-best run to the final in 1997 in Malaysia where they lost out to fellow South Americans Argentina 2-1 in the final.

The winner of this semifinal clash will either meet France or Ghana in the final on Saturday night in Istanbul at the home stadium of Turkish top club Galatasaray.

Send your news stories to [email protected] Follow News Ghana on Google News

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here