U20WC: Group F - GER | UZB | FIJ | HON

Honduras v Uzbekistan was the second best game of the tournamet so far after Brazil v Germany I reckon.

A 4-3 thriller with lots of attacking skill from both teams.

This Honduras team are very good.

And Uzbekistan are under-rated.

Were quarter-finalists last time in Turkey and their senior team have been ranked above Australia most of the last four years.

Several of their players looked a bit lightweight physically compared to the Hondurans who were fine athletes.

This shows on page 2 that in this tournament according to FIFA rules, people aren't allowed out of the ground...

http://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/c...

6000 odd was a poor effort.

However it is the least attractive group in the comp.

Obviously Germany are a team people will want to see - 

But as for the rest - not appealing to the public.

Only those with football knowledge realise Honduras will play attractive football, but not the general public here.

Fiji and Uzbekistan unfortunately hold no appeal either to football fans or the general public.

My heart sank when I heard that Fiji were in the group during the draw - and then having Uzbekistan also was not good news.

I hated Germany's rout of Fiji - it wasn't entertaining to see a side that was basically not even top ASB Premiership level humiliated like that.

Uzbekistan are a decent enough side (from one of the top five football nations in Asia over the last four years) - but unfortunately the public doesn't know that (the ignorance compounded by our isolation from the Asian confederation).

Even a mate of mine who's a local player (currently out injured) took his kids off to Dunedin for the games there over the long weekend.

Much more appealing.

Ticket sales apparently have been very good for the last day of group games in Christchurch, Germany v Honduras and Brazil v North Korea. Those two games are actually appealing to people.

I know a lot of people holding out until then to see games.

Weather supposed to be sharke  on Thursday so that is another excuse for the no-show 

I hope you are right about Sunday Big Pete.

It was a shame that Fiji wasn't put into a northern group...probably Hamilton (as Auckland had NZ and you can't have two Oceania teams in one group)...you would have got a huge Fiji croud coming in to support them, but Christchurch a bit too far for them to travel.

Fiji up 2-0 after 20 minutes. This is cray cray.

Bloody hell.  Showing up NZ in Oceania.

And Asia (so far)

Fiji have led this game for longer than all of the other Oceanic and Asian nations have led in all their matches combined.

3-0!! And they would be the first OFC team to win in an U-20 World Cup (apart from Australia of course)

3-0 to Fiji now.  Wish I'd put money down on this one. 

I think everyone is ^ 

I thought about it, too... :(

Fiji stats: 2 On target, 3 Goals. Very effective.

I simply cannot believe it.

Greatest game in the history of the U-20 World Cup, at least this one

I see a possible NZ vs Fiji final! ;-)

Man I'm so happy for Fiji...my wife is Fijian so we are just over the moon at the moment.  4 goals so far, got a win...meanwhile NZ keeps waiting ?

Fantastic result, Fiji took their chances. Some goals were lucky but hey you always need luck, they defended well, then frustrated and worried Honduras out of the game.

This result could aid NZ if we win tomorrow.

I think you forget that NZ would have to actually win a game.... or even score a goal first.

Fiji: 4 goals

NZ: 0 goals

Fiji > NZ clearly

Fiji: 8 conceded

NZ: 4 conceded

NZ>Fiji clearly

Round 2:

Fiji 1 win, 0 draws, 1 loss

NZ 0 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss

Fiji > NZ clearly

Fruglo > ConanTroutman clealry too :)

Yes! Great point!

Atleast we didn't lose either :)

Well done Fiji. Helps to justify Oceania having two teams in the tourney. Absolute fairytale.

That Germany vs Uzbekistan game was disappointing. UZB had no chance, GER bossed them around, looked like a training match. I hope Honduras is going to put in a better fight.

I doubt New Zealand would fair any better in this group. 

I'm there.

All Fiji have to do to  make the Round of Sixteen is draw with Uzbekistan (assuming Honduras succumb to the mighty German blitzkrieg).

And meanwhile us NZ supporters are nervously hoping for a win (and our first goals of the tournament) in order to just enter into the reckoning as one of the best four third-placed teams who go through.

Jesus wept.

The world doesn't make any sense any more !!!

Well done to Frank Farina and the Fijians ("F.F. & the F's" -  that sounds like one of those island groups that serenades you at hotels).

Frank's a wily coach and one of the most experienced at a high level in this tournament.

I think people forget his success as a player (won the Belgian league and cup and was top-scorer) and as Socceroos coach for seven years including when in 2001 Australia defeated Mexico and France during the Confederation Cup group stage, then defeated Brazil 1–0 to claim 3rd Place.

Australia also defeated England 3-1 at Wembley under Frank.

They lost the 2002 OFC Nations Cup to NZ in Auckland but only with a team of entirely Aussie-based players due to it being played during the Euro season. 

Frank did okay with Queensland Roar (as they were then known) in his three seasons in charge, making the preliminary final in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

A drinking problem seems to have hindered his coaching career since 2009 when he was sacked by Brisbane. 

I have heard that FIFA officials are looking at possibility that Honduras threw the game vs Fiji...match fixing, irregular betting on that game it seems, see what develops

Surely an unprecedented level of stupid -  sauce??

I'm not sure how they could've planned that ball bouncing off the defender into the call for the 3rd tbh.

The odds were ridiculous - $30 at one point - so wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people got on them. The odds were still pretty high when they initially led.

https://www.the-newshub.com/football/honduras-u20-football-team-under-investigation-for-match-fixing

Many of them looked despondent  at games end... Genuinely shattered. They did take of their best attacker at halftime Elias, which I didn't understand.

Any more news on the match fixing? Next time this happens can someone let me know before I put my bets on?