U17 WORLD CUP SEMIFINALS: AFRICAN TEAMS ELIMINATORS CRASH OUT #africanfootball #u17worldcup #u17wwc

U17 World Cup Semifinals: African Teams Miss Out as Their Conquerors Also Fall Short of the Final The 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar has delivered drama, surprises, and unforgettable moments. Africa’s impressive participation saw ten teams competing in the group stages, with nine of them advancing to the Round of 32. From there, four African representatives progressed to the Round of 16, and only Burkina Faso and Morocco made it to the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, both teams exited at that stage. Burkina Faso lost 1–0 to Italy, while Morocco suffered a heartbreaking 2–1 defeat to Brazil. Yet, in a twist of fate, the very teams that eliminated the African quarterfinalists did not make it to the final. Both Italy and Brazil crashed out in the semifinals, meaning neither of the African eliminators reached the grand finale. ⸻ How Italy Lost the Semifinal Italy’s U17 side entered the semifinal against Austria in strong form, having won all six of their previous matches. Despite dominating Austria for long periods, Italy fell 2–0 in a dramatic encounter. The Italians controlled the game with 66% possession compared to Austria’s 33%, and they registered more total shots (11) than Austria (7). However, accuracy proved decisive. Austria recorded four shots on target while Italy managed just one. The first half ended goalless, but Austria broke the deadlock in the 57th minute through Johannes Moser, who scored his first goal of the competition. Italy’s troubles deepened in stoppage time when Benit Borasio received a red card in the 90+2 minute. The disadvantage created space for Austria, and Moser struck again in the 90+3 minute to complete his brace. His clinical finishing earned him the Player of the Match award. Italy, despite their previous perfect run—featuring wins over Qatar (1–0), Bolivia (4–0), South Africa (3–1), Czechia (2–0), Uzbekistan (3–2), and Burkina Faso (1–0)—fell short when it mattered most. ⸻ How Brazil Lost the Semifinal Brazil’s semifinal journey produced one of the most intense battles of the tournament. Having dramatically eliminated Morocco with a late 2–1 victory in the quarterfinals, Brazil faced Portugal for a place in the final. Both teams were evenly matched, and the game ended 0–0 after full time. Portugal enjoyed slightly better ball possession—56% to Brazil’s 44%—but Brazil created more scoring chances, taking eight total shots compared to Portugal’s four. Both sides managed two shots on target, although Brazil recorded six off-target attempts while Portugal had two. With no breakthrough after 90 minutes, the match went to penalties. In the end, Portugal edged Brazil 6–5 in a tense shootout, sending the South Americans into the bronze-medal match. Despite the loss, Brazil remain the only team in the competition yet to lose a match in regular time. Their journey has been remarkable: a 7–0 win over Honduras, a 4–0 win over Indonesia, and a 1–1 draw with Zambia in the group stage; a 0–0 draw with Paraguay followed by a 5–4 penalty win in the Round of 32; a 1–1 draw with France and a 4–3 penalty win in the Round of 16; a 2–1 victory over Morocco in the quarterfinals; and finally the narrow penalty defeat to Portugal. ⸻ Bronze Final Preview: Brazil vs Italy The third-place, or bronze final, promises to be one of the most exciting fixtures of the tournament. Both Brazil and Italy have proven their quality throughout the competition. Italy have six wins under their belt, while Brazil have not lost a match in regular time. Predictions suggest Italy may edge the game 2–1, but if the match goes to penalties, Brazil’s shootout experience—having already won two penalty deciders—could be the deciding factor. ⸻ Grand Final Preview: Portugal vs Austria The final between Portugal and Austria is expected to be fiercely contested. Both teams have shown discipline, resilience, and tactical brilliance. With several standout performers and strong defensive records, the match is a tough one to predict. However, the edge slightly leans toward Portugal, who appear more balanced and experienced on the big stage. ⸻ For more sports updates, news, and trending stories, follow and subscribe to our channels: Avuncular’s Production and Avuncular Movies on YouTube. Connect with us on TikTok via @Avuncular24, @Avuncular’s Production, and Avuncular’s Studio. I remain your host and sports presenter, Achegbulu David, reporting for Avuncular’s Services. ⸻ #U17WorldCup #Qatar2025 #AfricanFootball #ItalyU17 #BrazilU17 #AustriaU17 #PortugalU17 #FIFAU17 #AvuncularsProduction #SportsUpdates #FootballNews #AchegbuluDavid #AvuncularMovies #MoroccoU17 #BurkinaFasoU17