By SCM Football Reporter in QATAR
DOHA, Qatar – The FIFA Under 17 World Cup served up a bucketload of late drama yesterday, but the real talking point wasn’t just the 2-1 victory for Chile over Canada—it was where the action unfolded: a humble training ground deep inside Qatar’s futuristic Aspire Zone complex.
Instead of a packed mega-stadium, the crucial Group K tie was played out on Pitch 8 of the massive Doha sports hub, confirming this year’s tournament as the most bizarrely ‘ultra-compact’ World Cup in history.
The Canucks thought they were cruising to the top spot when York United attacker Shola Jimoh found the back of the net in the 32nd minute, putting them 1-0 up against the South Americans.
But the young Chilean side, refusing to buckle in the Qatari heat, came roaring back after the break. Zidane Yanez levelled the score in the 55th minute, and Matias Orellana delivered the fatal blow in the 66th to complete the turnaround
The game spiralled into chaos in the final minutes. Despite Yanez receiving a straight red card in the 84th minute, leaving Chile to hang on with ten men, the drama wasn’t finished. Canada were gifted a lifeline in the 99th minute with a penalty, only for forward Van Parker to SKY the resulting spot-kick, sending it miles over the bar.
The result leaves Chile on four points, but a shock 1-0 win for tournament debutants Uganda over France in the other Group K clash meant the table ended in a four-way tie!
Remarkably, Canada finished second and snuck through to the Round of 32 for the first time in their history, proving that even a tight defeat in a training pitch in the Aspire Zone can lead to glory.
The Aspire Zone, known as Doha’s ‘Sports City’, will host all games until the final, which moves next door to the massive Khalifa International Stadium.
