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COSTA RICA |
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Brazil Favoured
To Beat Costa Rica In
Under-20 World Cup Final
(AP) - Brazil has already beaten Costa Rica
once and is heavily favored to win again
Tuesday in the semifinals of the Under-20
World Cup.
Brazil last won the tournament in 2003 and
will stay on track for its fifth title if it
beats Costa Rica in Cairo. In the other
semifinal match, Ghana takes on Hungary and
is a game away from reaching its third U20
final.
Costa Rica lost its opening match to Brazil
5-0 and faces the daunting task of trying to
stop the team's attacking machine again.
Brazil has scored 13 goals in five games and
spread the goals around.
"Most teams have been playing very
defensively against Brazil," Brazil coach
Rogerio Lourenco said. "Still, we will be
ready to face any formation."
Brazil survived a nervy quarterfinal match
against Germany, with Maicon coming off the
bench to equalize very late before scoring
another in extra time. Krisztian Nemeth also
scored twice, both in extra time, as Hungary
beat Italy 3-2.
"Once you are into the knockout stage of
such a competition, you have to keep your
balance and your mindset no matter what
score it is," Lourenco said. "The players
were able to keep their calm, and they kept
believing."
Costa Rica also needed extra time to beat
the United Arab Emirates, and coach Ronald
Gonzalez sounded far from confident about
facing Brazil.
"We are aware of what we have achieved so
far and are very contented," Gonzalez said
Monday. "Against Brazil you have to
concentrate for at least (90) minutes.
Against Brazil, we obviously have to pay
attention to the way we defend."
Ghana lost to Argentina in the final in 1993
and 2001, and has looked to be the most
consistent team so far along with Brazil.
With Hungary's senior team looking likely to
again miss the World Cup - Hungary has not
played in football's main event since 1986 -
the nation's despondent fans will get a
welcome boost if Hungary beats Ghana.
"We should not think about our personal
careers. We must think only that there is a
country behind us and they are really hungry
for success," Nemeth said. "This country
deserves it."
After losing its opening match to Honduras
3-0, Hungary has scored 11 goals in four
matches, with Nemeth and midfielder Vladimir
Koman getting three each.
"This is the most successful generation. At
the (2008) under-19 European Championship we
also reached the last four," Hungary coach
Sandor Egervari said. "This is a sign that
this generation is really strong. I hope
they break through."
Koman, however, is suspended for Tuesday's
match, as are right back Adrian Szekeres and
Egervari - both were sent off against Italy.
Zsolt Korcsmar will replace Koman as
captain, but Egervari said that will be a
huge loss.
"We don't have an equivalent player, he is
also our playmaker," Egervari said. "The
players who replace him will have a very
hard job."
Ghana has relied heavily on strikers
Ransford Osei and Dominic Adiyiah, the
tournament's top scorer with six goals, and
the team has successfully mixed athleticism
with attacking flair.
"Ghana has made a lot of impact at this
tournament," Ghana coach Sellas Tetteh said.
"It's a great opportunity for the players to
showcase themselves."
Tetteh is wary of Hungary's attacking
threat, even without Koman orchestrating
attacks.
"They have been very consistent, and it is
so clear that they have the fighting
spirit," Tetteh said. "They are good passers
of the ball and are very quick in attack."
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