ABU DHABI, 2 December 2003 — Tournament favorites Argentina left it late before securing a 2-1 win against 10-man Uzbekistan in their Group B game at the World Youth Championship yesterday while group rivals Spain secured a vital 2-0 win over Mali.
Meanwhile, in Group C, Australia beat Canada 2-1 while Brazil came from behind to draw 1-1 with the Czech Republic.
In Group A, Burkina Faso maintained their 100 percent start to the competition with a defeat of Slovakia and hosts the United Arab Emirates kept their hopes of progressing in the competition alive with a late winner against Panama.
In Dubai, Brazil fell behind to a spectacular overhead kick from up and coming Czech star David Limbersky on 34 minutes but Brazil captain Adailton equalized three minutes later.
Limbersky also cleared off his own line from Daniel midway through the second half. The result leaves Brazil level with Australia on four points, two ahead of the Czechs.
Australia had to fight hard in their Group C game against Canada before claiming victory. Alex Brosque put the Socceroos ahead on 12 minutes but Iain Hume equalized just after the half-hour mark.
Canada nearly went in front on the stroke of half-time when a Hume effort from outside the area hit the bar but instead Australia made it 2-1 through a Matt McKay strike from 10 meters on 53 minutes to claim victory.
In Group B, Argentina fell behind to Uzbekistan when Alexander Geynrikh scored after only four minutes, who had Islom Innomov sent off for a second bookable offense on 54 minutes.
The tournament favorites pushed forward and claimed an equalizer through Leandro Fernandez with 20 minutes remaining and claimed all three points with a late winner from the spot from Fernando Cavenaghi.
The result means Argentina remain top of the group on six points, three clear of Mali and Spain, who earlier beat the Africans 2-0.
Juanfran put Spain ahead after 16 minutes and Barcelona’s Sergio Garcia made it 2-0 from the penalty spot 13 minutes from the end.
Mali were reduced to ten men when Moussa Bagayoko was sent off for a second bookable offense in the 80th minute.
In Group A, Burkina Faso maintained their 100 percent record in the competition so far with a 1-0 win over Slovakia in Abu Dhabi to move top of the group on six points.
Ousseni Zongo got the only goal of the game after six minutes. Slovakia remain second on three points following their 4-1 win over hosts, the United Arab Emirates, in the opening game of the tournament.
The only downside of the game for the Africans was when Saidou Panandetiguiri received his marching orders three minutes from the end.
In the group’s other game, the United Arab Emirates beat Panama 2- 1 to keep their hopes of progressing very much alive.
Today’s games see England play Egypt and Japan against Colombia in Group D, Cote d’Ivoire vs. Ireland and Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia in Group E and in Group F, Germany face the USA and South Korea take on Paraguay.
