ABU DHABI, 9 December 2003 — It was a black day for African teams at the FIFA World Youth Championship yesterday as the three remaining countries involved in the tournament lost their second round matches and were eliminated.

The United States prove too strong for Cote d’Ivoire in their round of 16 match in Dubai, running out 2-0 winners while holders Argentina progressed on the golden goal rule against Egypt.

However, Canada pulled off the shock of the round, defeating Burkina Faso 1-0, the only goal of the game coming from Josh Simpson on 59 minutes. Canada now meet the winner of today’s tie between Paraguay and Spain.

In yesterday’s other second round game, Japan knocked out Asian rivals South Korea thanks to a golden goal from substitute Daisuke Sakata in the final minute of the first period of extra time.

The USA never looked in danger against Cote d’Ivoire once Justin Mapp gave Thomas Rongen’s powerful side the lead after only seven minutes.

Ed Johnson got his fourth goal of the tournament from the penalty spot on 43 minutes to make it 2-0 after prodigy Freddy Adu was pulled down by Drissa Toure in the Cote d’Ivoire goal.

The match was over as a contest two minutes later when the Africans were reduced to ten men when Toure was dismissed for handling the ball outside his area.

Ironically, he was replaced by Daniel Yeboah, who was sent off for the exact same offence in his side’s 2-2 draw with Ireland in an earlier group match.

The USA now meet tournament favorites Argentina, who were given a torrid time by Egypt before eventually progressing by the narrowest of margins.

Argentine captain Fernando Cavenaghi was the hero for Hugo Tocalli’s side as he slotted home his second goal of the game five minutes into the second period of extra time after the match finished 1-1 at the end of normal time.

Egypt started much the brighter of the two sides but it was the South Americans who took the lead against the run of play in the 27th minute when Cavenaghi curled a free kick around the Egyptian wall and into the bottom left-hand corner.

Egypt leveled matters three minutes before the break when a loose ball ended up at Rida Metwaly’s feet and the striker made no mistake, beating Mariano Barbosa from 12 meters to register his first goal of the tournament. Cavenaghi should have restored Argentina’s lead five minutes after the restart when he got on the end of German Herrera’s cross but he steered his shot just wide of the upright.

Ahmed Fathi stopped a certain goal for Argentina ten minutes from normal time when he cleared the ball out of the path of Herrera after goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy had failed to collect.