DOT Desk: Israel produced one of the biggest wins in its football history on Saturday, stunning Brazil 3-2 in extra time to qualify for the semi-finals of the Under-20 World Cup. A tightly contested encounter saw Israel come back from behind twice before grabbing the shock victory through Dor Turgeman’s brilliant solo strike,reports Dhaka Tribune.
The Israelis will face either Uruguay or the United States in the semi-finals.After a scoreless first half at the Bicentenario stadium, Brazil, five-times winners of the tournament, broke through in the 56th minute on Marcos Leonardo’s superbly-taken, first-time left-foot shot. Anan Khalaili brought Israel level, rising at the back post to angle home a header from a pinpoint El Yam Kancepolski cross in the 60th minute, delighting a largely pro-Israel crowd in the stands.
But Israel’s hopes dimmed just 20 seconds into extra time, when Andrey Santos set up Matheus Nascimento to restore Brazil’s lead.Just two minutes later, however, Hamza Shibli equalized, tapping in a low ball from Ilay Feingold at the back post to make it 2-2.
The decisive goal came, near the end of the first period of extra-time, when Turgeman collected the ball on the edge of the box, jinked cleverly past two defenders and then fired past Kaique Pereira.
Ilay Madmon and Ahmad Ibrahim would both miss penalties for Israel in the second period of extra-time, but Ofir Haim’s side were able to hold on.