Colombia too good as brave Amajita bow out of World Cup

Amajita competed stronger than the scoreline suggested but ultimately a classy Colombia flexed their muscle for a 3-1 2025 Fifa Under-20 World Cup last 16 win in Talca, Chile on Thursday.

Joel Canchimbo put Colombia ahead in the seventh minute at at Estadio Fiscal, Mfundo Vilakazi equalising from the penalty spot in the 51st. Star striker Néiser Villarreal put Colombia ahead again in 63rd, then added a third six minutes into added time to make for a scoreline Amajita did not fully deserve.

Coach Raymond Mdaka’s South Africans admirably went toe to toe with a strong Colombia, who were guilty of defending deep when they took their leads, though the South Americans had a gear to go up after conceding.

Colombia will meet Spain in the quarterfinals. Amajita are on the plane home after becoming just the second South African U-20 team to reach the World Cup last 16.

Also on Thursday night, Argentina dispatched Nigeria 4-0 to set up a quarter against an also highly-rated Mexico. The remaining African team in Chile is Morocco, who meet South Korea in the early hours of Friday morning SA time.

The way Colombia came out, Amajita battling with the bigger South Americans’ strength, skill and forceful ball movement, it seemed South Africa would struggle in the match.

But, after “Los Cafeteros” (the Coffee Growers) turned that pressure into an early goal, Mdaka’s team forced their way back into the game with their trademark grit in a defence marshalled by Tylon Smith, saves of goalkeeper Fletcher Smythe-Lowe and quick running up-front.

Just seven minutes in dangerous playmaker Oscar Perea outstripped the defence down the left and crossed, another big forward, Canchimbo, getting in behind South Africa left-back Thato Sibiya to volley past Smythe-Lowe.

Amajita showed they could be a threat when Vilakazi picked out Shakeel April on the right of the area, who turned his marker and shaped a shot over.

Perea was played into space on the left again and squared, midfielder Kener Gonzalez’s powerful shot excellently blocked by Smythe-Lowe.

From there, the South Africans fairly owned the rest of the half.

Sibiya beat right-back Simon Garcia down the left and squared, Gomolemo Kekana sliding at full stretch to sky his effort. From a half-clearance Vilakazi’s drive forced a save from keeper Garcia Jordan. Siviwe Magidigidi headed Neo Rapoo’s free-kick over just before the break.

Back from the change rooms, the South Africans’ momentum continued where it left off but they were also gifted a penalty inside the opening minute as Jordan slipped to a Garcia back-pass and had to foul Magidigidi.

Vilakazi’s poorly-placed kick was stopped by Garcia but Saudi Arabian referee Khalid Saleh Al-Turais ruled the keeper came off his line and ordered a retake. The Kaizer Chiefs playmaker struck his second effort far better to the left of Garcia to level the score.

Colombia upped the tempo and had Amajita stretched again.

Perea’s cross found star striker Villarreal, who will join Brazilian giants Cruzeiro in December, to head onto the right upright.

Then Perea’s pass in the area took a deflection off right-back Siviwe Nkwali to Villarreal, who turned and smashed his finish past Smythe-Lowe.

April struck powerfully as Garcia had to stop athletically. Amajita, though, could not regain their earlier buzz and Colombia did not repeat their first-half mistake of defending their lead too deep.

In the sixth minute of added time, with South Africa pushing up and increasingly loose at the back, Villarreal was through one-on-one with Smythe-Lowe to stroke in Colombia’s third.