France have booked their place in the quarterfinals of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) U17 World Cup 2023 after an incredible run. They defeated Senegal in the round of 16. They had the last laugh in a penalty shootout.
France won their Round of 16 match against Senegal at the Jakarta International Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia on Sunday (June 22). For much of the match, the French were unable to break through the Senegalese defense and were stuck in a streak of zeroes. The score remained 0-0 until the penalty shootout. In the penalty shootout, the players showed great composure and shared the win. All five kickers were successful. We capitalized on a missed kick by Senegal’s No. 2 kicker and sealed the 5-3 win.
We made it to the quarterfinals. They were drawn in Group E with South Korea and entered the tournament as the leaders. They defeated Burkina Faso 3-0 in their first group game, then beat South Korea 1-0 in the second. They breezed through the group with three straight wins, including a 3-0 victory over the United States. In the round of 16, the team defeated Senegal to secure a spot in the quarterfinals. The team showed off its better side after winning the title by keeping four consecutive clean sheets.
The round of 16 concluded on Nov. 22 with the France-Senegal match. With all eight round of 16 matches completed, the quarterfinals were set. On the 24th, Spain-Germany and Brazil-Argentina will play their quarterfinal matches. On the 25th, France-Uzbekistan and Mali-Morocco will play the quarterfinals. The two semifinal matches will be played on the 28th, followed by the third-place game on December 1 and the final on December 2.
The quarterfinals are set to be a showdown of favorites. Spain’s Invincibles and Germany’s Chariots of Steel will face off in an unstoppable battle. The South American tandem of Brazil and Argentina will also battle for pride. Top teams and South America’s two top nations meet in a quarterfinal that feels like a final.
It will be interesting to see how the teams that came out of nowhere to reach the quarterfinals fare. Africa’s Mali and Morocco will face off in the semifinals. Uzbekistan, the only surviving Asian nation, will take on France in the semifinals.