Ghana, Iraq Reach U20 WCup Semis

[Folami David]

Ebenezer Assifuah scored his second goal in the closing minutes of extra time as Ghana beat Chile 4-3 to reach the semifinals of the Under-20 World Cup on Sunday.
.
Assifuah's header completed Ghana's comeback after Angelo Henriquez put Chile 3-2 up in the eighth minute of extra time. Seidu Salifu equalized in the 113th after being set up by Clifford Aboagye. Both teams were locked at 2-2 in regulation.
.
"This was really a cliffhanger match," Ghana coach Sellas Tetteh said. "That is what this tournament is about, to show good football and to entertain people."
.
The only African nation to win the event, in 2009, Ghana will next play France while Iraq takes on Uruguay in the other semifinal.
.
Earlier on Sunday, Iraq conceded the lead three times to draw 3-3 with South Korea before winning a penalty shootout.
.
Tetteh praised his team for coming from behind for a second straight match. In the previous knockout round, Ghana beat Portugal 3-2 with two late goals.
.
"We didn't panic, we still played our type of football," Tetteh said. "I have to give credit to the boys ... this was a complete performance from a determined team."
.
Earlier in the tournament, Ghana narrowly escaped elimination after losing group matches against Spain and France before advancing on goal difference following a 4-1 win against the United States.
.
"It's a wonderful feeling for us to progress to the semifinal," Tetteh said. "We started from a very low point. The progression of this team is wonderful."
.
Ghana took the lead in the 11th when Frank Acheampong set up Moses Odjer, who controlled the ball on his chest before hammering it past goalkeeper Dario Melo.
.
Nicolas Castillo scored his fourth goal of the tournament with a fierce strike to level in the 23rd, and Henriquez gave Chile the lead four minutes later with a low shot from just outside the area.
.
Ghana pressed for an equalizer in the second half and got its reward in the 72nd when Ebenezer Assifuah hit the target for his first goal.
.
Iraq striker Farhan Shakor, who scored twice in regulation, converted the decisive penalty after Lee Chang-geun's spot kick was saved by goalkeeper Mohammed Hameed.
.
Iraq beat Paraguay 1-0 through Shakor's goal in extra time in the previous round. Iraq's previous best achievement was reaching the quarterfinals in 1989.
.
After the match ended 2-2, Farhan looked to have sent Iraq through with his goal in the 118th minute, only for substitute Jung Hyun-cheol to equalize for South Korea with the last kick of the match.

[Shola Sholaz]

I can't believe Iraq would go this far in the competition...That was a country I did not expect to go very far in the competition.