Senegal Edge Uzbekistan to Reach U20 World Cup Semi-Finals
Senegal continued their fairytale run at the FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand, edging Uzbekistan 1-0 in a hard-fought quarter-final clash to book a historic place in the semi-finals.
Mamadou Thiam was the hero for the Lion Cubs, scoring the game’s only goal to send Senegal through in Wellington. The Dijon striker’s decisive finish capped a resolute performance from Joseph Koto’s men, who once again defied expectations on the global stage.
The result sees Senegal, making their debut appearance at the tournament, advance to the last four where they will face five-time champions Brazil.
Following the match, head coach Joseph Koto praised the spirit and determination of his players, highlighting the team’s faith and resilience as key ingredients in their success.
“We’ve been praying a lot since the start of the competition, and we’ve intensified those prayers in recent days,” said Koto. “I want to congratulate my players because they played a truly heroic match today. We expected a very difficult match—and it was.
“Everyone thought we’d lose by five, six, or even seven goals. But now the team has improved and people actually want to watch us. As I speak, Dakar is not asleep.”
Uzbekistan, who had impressed in earlier rounds, struggled to break down a compact Senegalese defence and were punished for a lapse in concentration that led to the goal.
Head coach Ravshan Khaydarov expressed disappointment with the result but remained proud of his team’s efforts.
“It was a very difficult and intense match for both sides,” Khaydarov said. “We didn’t want to lose, of course. Before the goal, we were well organised, but we made one mistake and paid for it.
“Still, I’m proud. We had a good tournament, and finishing among the top eight teams in the world is a great achievement.”
Senegal now join fellow African side Mali in the semi-finals, marking a strong showing for the continent at this year’s tournament.
