FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP: AFRICA GETS THOUGH DRAWS

African representatives; Zambia, Senegal, South Africa and Guinea have been pitted against opponents in groups that can best be described as unpredictable as the draws for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup was held on Wednesday morning by the Federation of International Football Association‎.

The draw reveals that Guinea and hosts South Korea will kick off the World Cup with the opening game on May 20 with an unenviable draw of also facing Argentina in Group A who defeated Nigeria 2-1 to lift the title in 2005 in the Netherlands.

Zambia who became African U-20 champions after lifting the Africa U-20 Nations Cup last weekend will play in Group C against Portugal that defeated Nigeria at the same tournament in 1989 when Saudi Arabia hosted the world.

Saudi Arabia themselves will come up against Senegal in Group F of the U-20 World Cup this year.

The tournament will hold in South Korea from May 20 to June 11, 2017.

The pairings were drawn by some famous personalities including two FIFA Legends, Diego Maradona, who won the 1979 FIFA U-20 World Cup, and Pablo Aimar, who won the 1997 edition. 

Argentina football legend Diego Maradona expressed his thoughts on the outcome of the draw as it concerns his country.

He said after the draw “What a draw for Argentina! “We have some tough games, including a match against the hosts! What an exciting match that will be here in Korea, especially in front of a big local crowd”.

‎Nigeria’s Flying Eagles missed out of a place in the CAF U-20 Nations Cup to Sudan on away goals after a 5-5 aggregate.

The U-20 World Cup Full Draw

Group A: Korea Republic, Guinea, Argentina, England

Group B: Venezuela, Germany, Vanuatu, Mexico

Group C: Zambia, Portugal, Iran, Costa Rica

Group D: South Africa, Japan, Italy, Uruguay

Group E: France, Honduras, Vietnam, New Zealand

Group F: Ecuador, USA, Saudi Arabia, Senegal