Goals Scored: TOWNSEND Ryan (AUS) 75' , MAEDA Shunsuke (JPN) 87'  
  
Shunsuke Maeda scores Japan's dramatic late equaliser to secure qualification to the second round. Lee Mills ACTION IMAGES  
  
After a lacklustre opening period, Australia looked to have done enough to seal their place in the knockout round at the Parkstad Limburg Stadium in Kerkrade.  But a late goal from Shunsuke Maeda combined with a 1-0 win for Holland over Benin to secure blushing Japan's spot in the second round of the FIFA World Youth Championship Netherlands 2005.  
  
"This was always going to be a difficult group to get out of," Japan boss Kiyoshi Ohkuma said after the game "But my players all did well and I must thank them for their efforts in seeing us to the next round." 

Australia boss Ange Postecoglou's displeasure with his side's first two performances was crystal clear after a cursory glance at the starting line-up. With six new starters in the side, it was obvious he was looking to spice things up a bit. 

Straight away one of his new men, the hulking Ryan Townsend, came within inches of scoring.  Getting on the end of a fine cross, his glancing free header could only slip just wide of the target. 

Another clear chance in minute 25 from spitfire winger Chris Tadrosse had Japan thanking the reflexes of their keeper Shusaku Nishikawa.  

With only one goal in two matches, and none from the run of play, the fact that the Australians finished the first half scoreless will have surely left Postecoglou with something to shout about in the locker-room.  

Japan, lacking imagination and also without a goal from the run of play at these finals, had to be content with only one chance from Shingo Hyodo on the end of some fine work from Robert Cullen in minute 28. 

A snapshot from Hirayama - disappointing in the first half - got things off on the right foot for Japan in the early minutes of the second.   Moments later, though, the tall striker inexplicably missed his cue on a free header from six yards. 

The 75th minute seemed to bring heartache for Japan and joy for the committed Aussies when an innocuous free kick from Tadrosse was spilled agonisingly by the previously unflappable Nishikawa.  After a scramble in the box and a sea of yellow shirts throwing themselves at the ball, new man Townsend popped up to bundle it over the line (0:1, 75').  

In a last frenzied attempt to get something going up front Japan boss Kiyoshi Ohkuma took off captain and defender Hyodo and threw on 16-year-old wunderkind striker Takayuki Morimoto.  

With palpable desperation, the Asians threw everything they had at their opponents.  And in a final twist of the tale, they raced upfield on a counter-attack where Yohei Kajiyama fed Shunsuke Maeda who bobbled the ball clumsily, almost apologetically, over the line past new keeper Justin Pasfield (1:1, 87'). 

Australia's Nick Ward sits shattered on the turf after Japan's equaliser sends them out of the tournament. (ACTION IMAGES) Lee Mills  
  
Japan, at the death, had snatched qualification from the jaws of defeat.  

Postecoglou will certainly have something to say to his charges as he was up and shouting for them to take the ball to corner and run out the clock seconds before the fateful goal fell.  

As the Japanese celebrated their qualification for the knockout round, poor Oz were left to rue three games' worth of wasted chances. Knowing they had done their best, coach Postecoglou went to each of his lads and offered an embrace born of appreciation and sympathy.  

As the result of the Netherlands-Benin match filtered into the stadium, Ohkuma and his charges celebrated enthusiastically. And with a peculiarly charming sense of decorum, the players walked over to their long-travelling fans and offered a bow of thanks.  

They will now go on to play Morocco in the Round of Sixteen on Tuesday in Enschede. "In the next game we will have to sacrifice our discipline for attack, I think," concluded Ohkuma.  
 

일본이 부진한 성적에도 불구하고 16강 진출에 성공했다.

일본은 2005 네덜란드 세계청소년축구선수권대회에서 2무1패(승점2)의 성적에도 불구하고 A조 2위를 차지해 16강에 올랐다. 

일본은 18일 오후(한국시간)에 11시에 벌어진 호주와의 A조 최종전에서 1-1로 무승부를 이루며 호주 베냉과 함께 2무 1패로 동률이 됐으나 골득실에서 앞서 A조 2위를 기록했다.

한편 19일 오전(한국시간) A조와 F조 경기를 끝으로 조별 예선이 마무리된 세계청소년대회는 16강 진출팀을 모두 가리며 결선 토너먼트에 돌입하게 됐다. 

아시아에서는 한국을 제외한 중국 시리아 일본이 모두 16강에 올랐고, 남미는 4팀 모두 16강에 진출해 역대 세계청소년대회에서 보였던 상승세를 유지했다. 이번대회 16강은 아시아 3팀 남미4팀 아프리카 2팀 북중미 1팀 유럽 6팀으로 구성됐다. 

한국은 브라질전에서 무승부를 기록했을 경우 16강 진출이 가능했으나 2골차 패배로 예선탈락했다. 한국이 브라질에 0-1로 패했다고 하더라도 같은 골득실차(-1)를 기록한 C조의 칠레가 7득점을 했기 때문에 다득점에 밀려 16강행은 불가능했다. 

1승2패로 C조 3위를 기록해 16강 와일드카드 획득 여부가 불투명했던 칠레와 이탈리아 역시 F조 3위인 한국과 A조 3위 베냉을 제치고 결선토너먼트 막차를 타게 됐다.

이번대회 결선토너먼트는 22일 오전부터 시작한다. 

▲2005 세계청소년축구선수권대회 16강 진출팀(*는 와일드카드)
 A조 - 네덜란드 일본
 B조 - 중국 우크라이나 *터키
 C조 - 스페인 모로코 *칠레
 D조 - 미국 아르헨티나 *독일
 E조 - 콜롬비아 시리아 *이탈리아
 F조 - 브라질 나이지리아 
 
마이데일리 2005.06.19