U-17 WC: Lip-smacking encounter on cards as Brazil meet Germany

Kolkata, Oct 21 (IANS) A humdinger will be on the cards when traditional football heavyweights Brazil and Germany face off in a marquee quarter-final clash of the FIFA U-17 World Cup here at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan on Sunday.

In front of an expected crowd of over 60,000 at the venue which has been revamped for the mega event, both outfits - brimming with individual talents in their ranks - would strive to outshine one another and seal a coveted semi-final berth.

Going by form, Brazil hold the edge after emerging unscathed from the group stages and blanking Honduras 3-0 in the pre-quarters.

The Carlos Amadeu-coached side shipped just one goal in four matches so far, scoring nine.

"Our defensive system starts with our forwards. They are helping us a lot -- running and marking. That's why teams are not shooting at my goal that much," says Brazil custodian Gabriel Brazao, who has not conceded any goal in the last 355 minutes since an own goal against Spain in the tournament opener.

Brazao, who plays for Brazilian club Cruzeiro, has also made the highest number of saves so far in the competition with 14 to his name.

In the four games they played so far, Brazil have looked solid up front. If Lincoln, Paulinho and Brenner found the back of the net, midfielder Alan - under the radar of Spanish giants Real Madrid - played the assist maker in chief.

Alan recorded six assists in nine matches at the 2017 South American Under-17 Championships, which was Amore than any other player.

In their pre-quarterfinal win over Honduras, Weverson Costa was replaced by Luan Candido in the 45th minute and coach Amadeu said the players suffered a back injury.

"Should he be fit tomorrow, we have this possibility of him returning to regular left back position."

In Germany, Brazil would come across their sternest test yet since Spain in their first match.

The Germans looked rather ordinary in the group stages where they suffered a humiliating 0-4 loss to Iran and finished second in their group finished to qualify for the knockouts. But they seem to be peaking at the right time.

In the 4-0 thrashing of Colombia in the round of 16 tie, Hamburg prodigy Jann-Fiete Arp was all over their South American rivals being involved in all three goals his team netted.

Arp struck 36 goals in 44 matches for Hamburg in the under-17 league, emerged the second-highest goal scorer at the under-17 European Championships and, just last month, became the first player born in 2000 to play in the German Bundesliga.

Arp, who has so far scored four goals in the tournament, would be the key for Germany as they confront Brazil's untested defence.

Big-bodied and combative, Arp can sneak in behind his markers and force errors by pressing down on his opponents.

The Germans would miss their attacking midfielder Dennis Jastrzembski due to suspension.

The trio of Yannik Keitel, Sahverdi Cetin and Nicolas Kuehn are doubtful for Sunday, coach Wueck said.

"Cetin can play, but Kuehn and Yannik...maybe we will take a call close to the game," he said at the pre match press conference.

Brazil have been a traditional favourites in the soccer mad metropolis for their style of football and skills, and would feel at home in Kolkata with the large chunk of supporters likely to sway their way, though Germany's superb showing at the world stage in recent times have also earned them a good number of local fans.

The two teams have met only once, in 2011, at the U-17 World Cup. Germany had then edged past the South Americans 4-3 in the battle for the third place.

At the senior level, Athe two most famous meetings in recent times are Germany's epic 7-1 mauling of their rivals in the 2014 World Cup and Brazil avenging the defeat last year at the Rio Olympics to clinch gold.

Brazil are the more successful team at the under-17 level, winning the World Cup thrice (1997, 1999 and 2003) while the Germans have finished runners-up in the 1985 inaugural edition besides being eliminated by the eventual champions in three of their last four appearances.

Squads:

Brazil: Gabriel Brazao, Lucas Alexandre, Yuri Sena; Wesley, Luan Candido, Weverson, Lucas Halter, Matheus Stockl, Rodrigo Guth and Vitor Eduardo; Alanzinho, Marcos Antonio, Rodrigo Nestor, Victor Bobsin, Victor Yan and Vitinho; Brenner, Lincoln, Paulinho, Vinicius Junior, Yuri Alberto.

Germany: Luis Klatte, Luca Plogmann, Marian Prinz; Dominik Becker, Yann Aurel Bisseck, Jan Boller, Pascal Hackethal, Kilian Ludewig, Lars Lukas Mai, Alexander Nitzl; Elias Abouchabaka, Erik Majetschak, Sahverdi Cetin, Yannik Keitel, John Yeboah; Jann-Fiete Arp, Noah Awuku, Dennis Jastrzembski, Jessic Ngankam, Nicolas-Gerrit Kuhn, Maurice Malone