After Monday’s fiercely contested 1-1 draw at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar, Zambia’s Under-17 national team was hailed by Brazil Under-17 head coach Carlos Eduardo Patetuci, who called the Junior Chipolopolo a “strong and powerful side with very competitive strikers.”
As both teams started the game tied on six points and fighting for first place in Group H, Zambia put pressure on the South Americans when Jonathan Kalimina scored straight from a corner to shock the four-time winners of the competition in the first half. The two teams settled for a share of the spoils, each finishing the group with seven points, after Brazil finally equalised in the second half.
Patetuci acknowledged that the game went exactly as planned: it was challenging, intense, and tactically taxing.
“It was a very difficult match against Zambia, a team that also had six points, fighting for the group lead. They are a very strong, very powerful team, with very competitive strikers, and we knew that,” he was quoted as saying by the CBF media.
Despite dominating early chances, Brazil failed to convert before conceding from a set piece.
“At the beginning of the game we created scoring opportunities but didn’t take advantage of them. We ended up conceding a goal from a set piece.”
We could have scored more – Patetuci
The Brazilian coach applauded his team’s improved performance after the break, noting the Seleção created several opportunities and could have won the match.
“In the second half we improved our level of competitiveness significantly… We scored one, but we could have scored more and come away with the victory.”
Brazil scored 12 goals and conceded just one goal as they finished the group stage without a loss. According to Patetuci, the team had accomplished its first goal, which was to win the group, and would now turn its attention to the knockout stage.
On Friday, November 14, Brazil will play again at Doha’s Aspire Zone Sports Complex. FIFA, along with Zambia, will confirm their opponents and kickoff time.
The young Chipolopolo also advanced to the round of 32 without defeat, beating Indonesia 3-1 and Honduras 5-2 before drawing 1-1 with Brazil to finish second due to goal difference.
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