And on the seventh day, nobody rested. Indeed, the stakes were never higher.

Argentina needed a win to give themselves the best chance of getting through to the knockouts like they have every tournament for as long as these players have been alive. New Zealand needed a win for the best chance of getting through to the knockouts for the first time ever.

Half of that went as planned, and the other half didn’t.

Argentina 0-0 Austria

Well… we’re gonna be saying goodbye to one of the pre-tournament favourites much earlier than expected. After failing to win a game, Argentina finished with just two points and about a snowball’s chance in hell of making the next round, hoping for a draw in New Zealand’s game to give them a chance (Spoiler Alert – It didn’t happen). It’s not like they didn’t give it a good go against Austria though, they dominated from first kick to last. Actually, that’s not true, the first 45 seconds were all Austria as they surged forward immediately, Andreas Gruber forcing a save after only 15 seconds. That would be their only shot on target. From then on it was all blue and white, only no goal would come. Giovanni Simeone scored a bucket of goals in qualifying but was unable to find his best form in NZ. He accidentally got in the way of a goal-bound shot from Nicolas Tripichio, and twice had his own efforts disallowed for offside as well as missing a chance with only the keeper to beat. Austria defended with great discipline doing all that they needed to do and on the rare occasions that they were breached, goalie Tino Casali just so happened to have a fantastic game himself. Argentina go home, guts for them.

Panama 0-1 Ghana

Ghana were basically through already, but Panama needed something out of the ordinary to extend their stay in New Zealand. Yet early on it looked like they’d be for the footballing slaughter. The Tetteh brothers were in fine form. Ben Tetteh seemed to have opened the scoring after the break only for a tipped save onto the post from Jaime De Gracia, and after that the Panamanians seemed to grow in confidence. Ismael Diaz shot wide from a shot he shouldn’t have put wide. And then the decisive moment late on, a misplaced back pass intercepted by Emmanuel Boateng, who turned his marker a couple times and placed his shot into the bottom corner. Ghana taking the lead with less than 10 minutes remaining. Panama threw everything forward after that, desperately trying to find a couple goals, but somehow they were denied. Crossbars were struck, shots were sent wide and a Fidel Escobar penalty was blasted over the top as he slipped on the damp North Harbour ground. Panama sent packing, Ghana advance top of their group.

New Zealand 5-1 Myanmar

The hosts were on the verge of a devastating campaign when Aung Thu cut sharply inside Brock Messenger’s challenge and beautifully curled a shot into the top corner from an angle. They were making most of the play, but not getting much from it as through balls sailed deep and short passes were picked off. Frustration was growing. That was until five minutes before half time, when Deklan Wynne was gorgeously threaded through by Sam Brotherton from half-way, and Wynne’s cross was perfectly into Noah Billingsley’s path. 1-1. The kiwis scored again from a scramble immediately after the break, and soon after that Myanmar just lost the will to live. Goals flowed, New Zealand eventually doing enough to completely overturn the goal difference hit they took at America’s hands on Tuesday night, leaving them on the verge of the next round for the first time in their U20 history – in fact, this was NZ’s first ever U20 win.

Ukraine 3-0 USA

A draw would have been pretty satisfactory for both sides in this game, but good enough wasn’t good enough for Ukraine. They blasted things open after a tight first half to beat the States comfortably in the end, and leapfrog them for first in group A. Viktor Kovalenko scored all three, a wonderful performance from him. However not long after Kovalenko’s first, a wonderful free kick that bent away from the keeper’s reaching hand and into the bottom corner from distance, the Americans were right back in it with what can only be described as a ‘controversial’ penalty. You can’t even say it was soft because that implies there might have been contact. Yet Emerson Hyndman’s spot kick was well saved by Bohdan Sarnavskyi. Ukraine really impressed after that, picking their game up even more and the USA couldn’t stay with them. Two goals in five minutes between the 74th and 79th mins wrapped it up.

The Main Men

Fidel Escobar (Panama) – It was heart-breaking that Escobar should miss that late penalty after he was such an influential player all tournament. He scored two fantastic goals and was a beastly being in defence. Still playing in Panama, too, someone give this man a contract!

Noah Billingsley (New Zealand) – He scored New Zealand’s first and then set up the next two. Not at all bad from the youngest man in the squad, especially after beginning the tournament on the bench. His long legs, his pace and his strength make him a handful for anyone, especially the undersized Myanmar defence.

Viktor Kovalenko (Ukraine) – Top of the goal charts now with 5 goals in his three games. He was superb against America, drifting into clever areas and showing a fine finishing touch. Gotta mark this fella closely.

Bohdan Sarnavskyi (Ukraine) – The captain of his side and one of the most lauded keepers at the tournament. You can see why. In terms of composure and confidence, maybe only Argentina’s Augusto Batalla can rival him, yet Batalla shipped in five goals and has been eliminated at the first hurdle. Sarnavskyi has kept three clean sheets. Yep, not a single goal conceded through the group stages.

Tino Casali (Austria) – Another stunning performance from a keeper. Casali made a massive 10 saves against Argentina.