The Dominican Republic team qualified this Sunday in an agonizing manner to the quarterfinals of the U-20 World Cup Preliminary held in Honduras, defeating their similar team El Salvador 5-4.
In a match of great commitment, with El Salvador having more possession of the ball, the Dominican Republic team was more accurate in their shots at the goal, five of their seven direct shots were goals.
The Central American country shot six times at the opponent’s goal, four of which were successful.
The game was full of emotions and goals from the start, with the Dominican Republic taking the lead at minute 5 with a goal by Israel Boatwright, to which El Salvador responded by equalizing at minute 9 through Mayer Gil.
The Dominicans quickly took the lead again with a goal in the 13th minute by Anyelo Gómez, but El Salvador tied the score in the 37th minute again with Mayer Gil, on penalty, and in the 43rd minute by Ronald Arévalo, to take a 3-2 lead at halftime.
The Caribbeans reacted early in the second half and tied 3-3 in the 47th through Ángel Montes de Oca.
El Salvador came back and at 57 Jonathan Esquivel, on penalty, took the lead and made it 4-3, to which the Dominican Republic responded at 60 again with Montes de Oca and at 78 with Edison Azcona, on penalty, for the definitive 5-4, in one of the most intense games of the competition.
The second day of the round of 16 will close today with the game between Mexico and Puerto Rico. The tournament is a qualifier for the Indonesia 2023 U-20 World Cup and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
