Uruguay-Italy is the final of the U20 World Cup and will be played on Sunday at 23:00: free-to-air TV, streaming, probable formations, predictions.
Not even the hostile South Korea, reigning world vice-champions, managed to stop the ride of Carmine Nunziata’s Azzurrini. Who, in faraway Argentina, are writing a page in the history of Italian football. And now it is forbidden to stop on the most beautiful
Italy, in fact, are preparing to play their first final in an Under 20 World Cup: it has never happened before that they have gone this far, never having passed the semi-final hurdle, reached three times in a row in the past. A fantastic adventure, whatever the outcome, that of Casadei and his team-mates, capable of imposing themselves with personality over selections that on paper were clear favourites. It was a not inconsiderable breath of fresh air for the entire movement, which was in tatters after the failure to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar and ended up in the crosshairs of criticism precisely because of an inadequate policy regarding the growth and use of young players. Nunziata’s troop has therefore reached the last act in La Plata, where they will face another outsider, Uruguay. On its way, Italy took important scalps, including those of Brazil – in the group stage – and the very strong England. In the quarter-finals it then overwhelmed Colombia 3-1 and in the semifinals it managed to defeat the Koreans (2-1) thanks to a goal from the usual Casadei – the Chelsea midfielder is the real star of this World Cup – and a splendid free-kick from the talented 2006 class Pafundi (also called up several times by Mancini) that avoided extra time.
Italy, mission possible
Italy have scored thirteen goals since the start of the competition. And in the matches in which the Azzurrini have played, there have never been less than three goals in total, with the exception of the defeat, the only one, against Nigeria (2-0) in the group stage.
Duarte
Uruguay, on the other hand, relied more on defensive solidity and it is no coincidence that in their three matches in the knockout phase, the South Americans did not concede a single goal. The Celeste, coached by Marcelo Broli, only scored more than two goals in the match against Iraq (4-0) in the group stage. For the rest, two narrow victories against Gambia and Israel, played in the round of 16 and semi-finals respectively, and the 2-0 win against the USA in the quarters. A path marred, in any case, by the defeat (2-3) against England in the group stage, which was in any case irrelevant for qualification purposes. This is Uruguay’s third U20 World Cup final after 1997 and 2013.
The Prediction
Italy have so far excelled above all in possession, finding the way of the goal with enormous ease but conceding something at the back: only against the Dominican Republic did they keep their goal unbroken. Uruguay undoubtedly has less quality than the Azzurri and, in light of what has been seen so far, they are not favourites. However, another solid defensive performance is to be expected from the South Americans, who have recorded three clean sheets in the knockout phase. It will therefore be defence against attack, with Italy expected to come out on top in a match in which the total number of goals could be less than three. The second half will be more prolific than the first.
The likely line-ups for Uruguay-Italy
- URUGUAY (4-2-3-1): R. Rodriguez; Chagas, Boselli, Fa. Gonzalez, Matturro; Diaz, Garcia; L. Rodriguez, Fr. Gonzalez, De Los Santos; Duarte.
- ITALIA (4-3-1-2): Desplanches; Zanotti, Guarino, Ghilardi, Turicchia; Casadei, Prati, Giovane; Baldanzi; Ambrosino, Esposito.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 0-1