U20WC: Group D - MEX | URU | MLI | SRB

Keep all Group D posts, such as matchday chat in here. Fire up farken

Go Serbia !!

Serbia have a huge team, about 8 players over 1.90 tall...look a handy outfit as well

Yes, they had some success at the last several Euro U19 champs (won one and lost one final,on penalties - from memory). They are in a very strong group here, but are capable of going far in this tournament.

Got my tickets to the two weekend double headers. Most amped for some football under the roof.

Being a Serbian immigrant in NZ, this video warms my heart.

Well done kids !

Young girl in the Ramones shirt in the classroom video is so cool !!!

LOL...Didn't even notice that. Was overwhelmed by other things in the video.

But, yes very cool. She is cool, but she obviously has very cool parents (or whoever bought that shirt for her !).

Mali vs Mexico a close match, no goals at halftime but both teams with good chances. Could go either way at this point. Apparently in qualifying Mali were masters of the 1-0 win.

End result 2-0 Mali - Mehico had 9 players after 2 red cards. Gee I love Dunedin Regional Stadium. Best indoor and outdoor venue in the country I say..

Yeah, it's the best stadium in the country hands down - but the locals don't want it or support it.

It should be packed up and transported to Wellington or Christchurch where it would be better utilized.

75% of Dunedin residents polled opposed public funding of the stadium and there was legal action to stop it proceeding on two occassions.

No one goes to sports events there. 

The stadium costs the Dunedin ratepayers 20 million dollars a year to keep going.

Average Highlanders rugby croud last season was only 12,291 boosted by one popular Crusaders game. Several games attracted less than 10,000.

The Highlanders have never attracted more than 21,000 (in a game last year) - and 5000 of those tickets were sold to Crusaders supporters.

So only 16,000 locals maximum will attend matches in a stadium that holds 31,000

http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/307695/rugby-crow...

Crouds could not dip much more if the franchise was to remain viable, Clark said.

''The crouds this year will be up on last year and that is a real positive for us. But we are at a bare minimum of people coming through the gate to sustain us as a financial entity.''

Uruguay - Serbia 1:0. Not quite sure how Serbia lost that after clearly (except the first 5-10 mins of the game) being the better side , but they did and that is all that matters. Two more games to play in the group, still a chance.

was an enjoyable game, and agree Serbia looked the better, but just could not finish it off. Uruguay did some nice stuff too, and defended really well at crucial times.

Nice seeing some Uruguay fans with their banner and flags singing as they wandered along ravensbourne road/ anzac ave. Created quite a few smiles from the quiet kiwis!

Andrija Zivkovic. Plays for Partizan Belgrade. Rumours about him moving to Benfica, Portugal. Already played for the Serbian senior side. 

He really did look a cut above some of the other players out on the field so not surprised he's got a senior cap!

Will the games be on today? Understand that it is an enclosed stadium, the problem is the travel in Dunedin, staff etc...

I'm trying to find that out too. Suspect they will go ahead but not expecting much of a croud. Can see the stadium lights are on at least, but there's about a kilometre of water to get through.

Its only getting worse...

I can't see how they can afford to cancel it.  The schedules are too tight so if the teams and officials can get there the games will go ahead, even if it's in front of just Osky wearing scuba gear.

yes, was a good game. 

Happy that Serbia won today, but they didn't play well. Cannot understand how Mali managed to win against Mexico. Their back four are not very good.  Serbia will need to improve in the last game against Mexico.  That Serbian number 11 who was so good against Uruguay was very quiet today (but was screaming every time a Mali player touched him. Embarrassing.)

Yeah Mali were very lucky against Mexico, who have for me been the slickest of the Group D sides. Their central midfielders (especially #7) and wingers are very good. Uruguay's #5 (another CM) has impressed me as well.

i quite enjoyed Mali last night (missed the game they played against mexico). I thought they played some really attractive football, but just could not do enough to get clear chances. Serbia were quick to defend in numbers, and always looked good when they did push forward. I thought they (serbia) also looked pretty good against Uruguay on Sunday.

I thought where Mali let themselves down was trying to win the ball back in the midfield- especially in their own half. Players seemed to half turn away from quite a few challenges, which then put the back four under pressure. All that said, it took two pretty good goals for Serbia to win- a well taken free kick, and then a slick break that did tear the defense to pieces, leaving a pretty simple tap in.

I also liked how when the Serbian #11 did a writhing and shrieking in agony act, and Serbia put the ball out for a throw in, Mali threw to their own players and launched an attack, rather than gently knocking the ball back to the serbs. Best way to deal with that nonsense. (Although, apart from that, Serbia's #11 is a bloody good player)

Me and my 15 year old daughter got there, despite having to skirt around a sewage-filled bit of flooding outside the college of ed. Kindly campus watch transported us through it to get to our stranded car after the game, when it was heaps worse (in terms of flood, possibly not sewage- but I did not want to take the chance!)

The things we do for football!

Really interesting final day set up. Win and you go through, lose and you're out, draw and you hope for the best.

If news that one side is 2 or 3 goals to the good in the other game comes through, teams might be prepared to settle for a draw that should be enough to see them take 2nd and one of the 3rds.

Serbia currently leading Mexico 1-0

Serbia have impressed me this tournament. Živković is quite talented. 

Uruguay leading Mali 1-0 in Hamilton.

Good noisy croud in Dunedin, well done.

great match in Dunedin.

Serbia 2 nil up now and Mali have equalised 1-1  both games at half time.

Double post

Been some great freekicks in this tournament

and it's goodbye to Mexico

We will have a drawing of lots to decide who places second and who places third out of Uruguay and Mali! Both teams through to the Round of 16, but they don't know where they will play yet.