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Ukraine U20 vs South Korea U20 Prediction & Betting tips
Ukraine vs. South Korea – that’s the final of the U20 World Cup 2019 in Poland on Saturday evening at Lodz Stadium. Before the start of the finals certainly not many experts had this final on the slip. Looking at the betting odds of the bookmakers for winning the title before the first group match, South Korea finished in 15th place and Ukraine even only 18th. Of the top favorites, the reigning European champions Portugal failed already in the group stage. For record winners Argentina and France was in the second round final. Vice European champion Italy lost the semi-final against Ukraine.
South Korea had prevailed as a table runner in a group with Argentina. Over Japan, Senegal and the South American champions Ecuador, the Taeguk Warriors drew for the first time in the final of a U20 World Cup. Ukraine secured first place in a group with the USA, Nigeria and Qatar. After a 4-1 against Panama, a 1-0 against Colombia and a 1-0 win over Italy, the Ukrainian offspring is also for the first time in the U20 final. Before the final Ukraine vs. South Korea easily speak the quotas for the Eastern Europeans. The betting base, however, believes that the Asian run continues and continues in the Ukraine vs. Ukraine final. South Korea their tip on “South Korea will be world champion”.
Ukraine:
Before the 2019 World Cup Ukrainian junior football had already participated in U20 finals three times (2001, 2005, 2015) and was eliminated each time in the second round. At the U19 European Championship in 2018, Ukraine secured the ticket to the 2019 World Cup by moving into the semifinals. There, however, the East Europeans lost clearly with 0: 5 against against the eventual title winner Portugal. Ukraine has been trained since July 2013 by Oleksandr Petrakov.
The Ukrainians started with a 2-1 against the USA in the tournament. Then followed a 1-0 against Qatar. In the last group game handed the yellow-blue a 1-1 against Nigeria to group victory. With a safe 4: 1 against Panama, the team of coach Petrakov could finally move into the quarter-finals for the first time. There, Ukraine prevailed 1-0 against Colombia. In the semifinals, it went against the Under-19 European vice-champion Italy.
This is where the two best defensives of the tournament have met. So the game could not be characterized by many offensive actions. In the 65th minute Serhii Buletsa brought the Eastern Europeans into the lead. After a yellow-red card for Denys Popov in the 79th minute, Ukraine had to deny the final phase in Unterzahl. It was particularly dramatic in the second minute of injury time, as Gianluca Scamacca had met for alleged equalization for Italy, but the goal was taken back by the VAR. With good performances keeper Andriy Lunin was able to attract attention. The goalkeeper is under contract with Real Madrid, but is currently on loan to CD Leganes. Lunin missed the quarter-finals, as he had been called to the European Championship qualifiers of the senior team. In the semifinals, the young keeper was again between the posts. In the offensive Danylo Sikan is already four goals. The 1-0 win by Buletsa in the semi-final against Italy was also the gamemaker’s third goal. Denys Popov missed the finals after his dismissal in the semifinals. Oleksandr Safronov should replace him. Heorhii Tsitaishvili can be reinstated after his suspension.
South Korea:
As a twelve-time winner of the AFC U19 Asian Championship and with 15-U20 finals participation, the selection of South Korea is quite a size in the youth sector. So far, however, the Taeguk Warriors failed seven times in the group stage. The best result was in 1983 with the fourth place. For the start of the 2019 World Cup, South Korea had just beaten the reigning U19 European champions Portugal 0-1. In the second group game, the Koreans then made the first victory with the 1-0 against South Africa. The first big surprise followed in the final group game when national coach Chung Jungyong’s side defeated Argentina U-2 record champion Argentina 2-1. After that, in the Asian duel against Japan again a 1-0 to reach the quarter-finals. Against Senegal had to decide in the round of the last eight the penalty shootout. After 90 minutes it had stood 2: 2.
In the final stages of the regular season the VAR had taken back two goals of the Africans. In extra time, Taeguk Warriors had taken the lead 3-2 but had to equalize in the final second. Nevertheless, the South Koreans had the luckier end in the “Penalty Lottery”, even though they had missed their first two penalties. In the semifinals, it came to a duel against the South American champion Ecuador. Korea also scored again a goal to win and to move into the final. Thus, the Republic of Korea has now reached the final for the first time, two years after the first FIFA U-20 World Cup. In his own country, the host was eliminated in the knockout stages against Portugal. The focus of this World Cup is Lee Kangin of Valencia CF, who again showed a strong performance in the semi-finals.
Ukraine U20 vs South Korea U20 head to head matches
21.03.19 FI South Korea U20 Ukraine U20 0 : 1