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Under-20 World Cup: Venezuela beats Uruguay on penalties to reach final

YELIM LEE / AFP / Getty

Entering the Under-20 World Cup, Venezuela had never produced a men's team that reached the quarter-finals of a FIFA-affiliated tournament, let alone a final. But La Vinotinto is the surprise of the competition, and its unprecedented run continued on Thursday.

In a South American semi-final at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium, Venezuela reached the final of a FIFA-affiliated tournament for the first time in history, defeating Uruguay on penalty kicks.

Venezuela's historic adventure looked like it had run its course when second-half stoppage time rolled around. Uruguay was up 1-0, as Nicolas De La Cruz, La Celeste's captain, converted a penalty kick in the 49th minute to become only the second footballer at the Under-20 World Cup to beat Wuilker Farinez, a 'keeper of wonderful promise.

But, in the 91st minute, Samuel Sosa come to Venezuela's rescue, rocketing a free-kick past Santiago Mele to force extra time, where nobody could produce a winner. In the penalty shootout, Farinez denied Jose Luis Rodriguez and, in heroic fashion, punched La Vinotinto's ticket to the final by extending his right leg to stop De La Cruz's shot.

In the final, Venezuela will battle England, who last reached the final of a FIFA-affiliated tournament at the 1966 World Cup.

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