The U17 World Cup is in chaos: Germany and Argentina are upset, 3 Asian teams advance to the top 16, and North Korea is included

The 1/16 finals of the U17 World Cup ended not long ago. What all fans did not expect was that the defending champion Germany and the favorite Argentina were upset in the first round of the knockout rounds. And their departure has completely disrupted the pattern of the U17 World Cup. This competition is expected to give birth to a super dark horse, all the way to the finals, and win the final crown!

As the defending champion of the U17 World Cup, the German team did not encounter many obstacles in the group stage. They successfully broke through with an unbeaten record of 1 win and 2 draws, and entered the top 32 with first place in the group. However, what countless people did not expect was that in the knockout round, the German team faced Burkina Faso, an African team that was not very strong! Although the German team was far superior to its opponents in all statistics throughout the game, they were unable to turn their advantage into a victory. In the end, Burkina Faso defeated the German team 1-0 with a goal in the first 5 minutes, improbably reaching the top 16.

Like the German team, Argentina, one of the top four in the previous competition, was also upset. In the group stage, Argentina was one of the few teams to break through with a complete victory record. Unexpectedly, in the first round of the knockout round, their winning streak was ended. Facing their old rival Mexico, Argentina failed to hold on to a one-goal lead and lost two goals in a row, falling into a 1-2 deficit. Fortunately, Argentinian central defender Kloster scored a goal at the last minute to help the team complete the tie and drag the game into a penalty shootout. Unfortunately, luck was no longer on Argentina's side in the penalty shootout. Mexico narrowly defeated Argentina 5-4 and eliminated its opponent with a total score of 7-6, blocking the Argentines from the top 16.

In this U17 World Cup, the performance of Asian teams can be said to be mixed. The three teams from East Asia, Japan, North Korea, and South Korea, all successfully broke through and advanced to the knockout rounds. All West Asian teams were wiped out, and only the Uzbekistan team from Central Asia successfully advanced, preventing this World Cup from becoming a one-man show for East Asian teams.

In the first round of the knockout rounds, Asian teams also continued their outstanding performance in the group stage. The Japanese team defeated the South African team 3-0 and easily reached the top 16. The North Korean team defeated the Venezuelan team 2-1 and successfully met the Japanese team in the 1/8 finals. The Uzbekistan team had the most thrilling advancement process. They defeated the Croatian team through a cruel penalty shootout and got a ticket to the top 16. The South Korean team was not so lucky. In the first round of the knockout round, the Tai Chi Tigers encountered the England team, the favorite to win the championship. In the end, the South Korean team lost 0-2 to its opponents and unfortunately stopped in the top 32.

The most noteworthy Asian team in this U17 World Cup is undoubtedly the North Korean men's football team. At the adult national team level, the North Korean team can only be regarded as a third- or even fourth-rate team in Asia, but in the youth echelon, North Korean football can often bring many surprises to everyone. In the group stage, the North Korean team achieved a record of 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss, and finally broke through with third place in the group. Facing the first place Venezuela in Group E in the knockout round, the North Korean team scored two goals in the first half and took an early 2-0 lead. However, the Venezuelan team's crazy counterattack in the second half once made the North Korean team's goal become tense. Uribe's goal also gave this South American team hope of a comeback. Fortunately, the North Korean team used a united defense to withstand the opponent's fierce attack. In the end, the North Korean team narrowly defeated the Venezuelan team 2-1, gaining the team's first victory in the knockout stage of the U17 World Cup!

In the next 1/8 finals, the North Korean team will face the "Asian Civil War" with the Japanese team. I wonder who of the two teams will have the last laugh?