Brazil, Italy, Austria, Portugal in semifinals of FIFA U-17 World Cup in Doha

Nov 22, 2025

On a day of high drama at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025, Brazil delivered a breathtaking late strike to topple Morocco and secure their semifinal spot.

Austria became the first to punch their ticket to the last four, edging Japan 1-0 in a fiercely contested match. The opening half saw both teams probing for weaknesses, with chances falling to both, but no breakthroughs before the interval.

That changed soon after restart, when Johannes Moser brought his tournament tally to six with a curling finish that beat the Samurai Blue’s defense.

Japan refused to fade, substitute Minato Yoshida only narrowly missing a leveller with a glancing header. Hiroto Asada then stung the palms of Austria goalkeeper Daniel Posch, while Deshishku was denied a second for Austria by a spectacular stop from Japan’s keeper Shuji Muramatsu. Even as Deshishku saw a late penalty saved, Austria weathered a final storm and held firm for the win.

“It was a really tough match. Japan is a very good team, and they played so well. I’m so happy we got the win,” said Austria captain Jakob Pokorny.

“It’s such a nice group to be a part of. We’re a real team, and it’s a very special feeling. They were by far the best team we’ve played. We’d a lot of problems, especially at the beginning. The lads can be really proud. This is the most successful result ever for an Austrian U-17 national team,” Coach Hermann Stadler said.

Italy were next to join Austria after a cagey encounter against Burkina Faso. The African champions brought flair and danger in the first half - Mohamed Zongo rattled the bar and struck the post as Burkina pressed for a breakthrough. Italy’s defense stood tall, with goalkeeper Alessandro Longoni producing a sharp save before Luca Reggiani had a tap-in goal ruled offside.

With the tension building, a mistake proved costly for Burkina Faso as Rahim Ouattara’s poor goal-kick found Campaniello. The Italian forward showed his composure, bursting between defenders and lashing his shot home in the 83rd minute.

“We’re very happy because we're doing very well. This game was very tough because the opponent was big, strong, and fast. We didn't expect this, but we’re growing in this tournament very well,” said Italy’s captain Luca Reggiani.

Portugal delivered a statement with a comfortable 2-0 win over Switzerland. The Portuguese were lively from the start, Stevan Manuel missing two golden opportunities before Mateus Mide finally gave Portugal the lead just before the break, powered by Anisio Cabral’s movement in the Swiss area.

After halftime, defender Jose Neto cemented victory with a 20-yard screamer, ending Switzerland’s remarkable unbeaten run at the U-17 World Cup.

“It was a positive match for us,” said Neto, Player of the Match. “We went in with the mindset of winning and putting pressure on them. Although I think our first goal came a little late, given the chances we had.”

The drama peaked as Brazil outlasted Morocco 2-1, in a battle that saw momentum swing until the final whistle. Dell, the Brazilian forward, struck first after 16 minutes, but Morocco stayed resolute, equalizing on the cusp of halftime with Ziyad Baha’s penalty after Ismail El Aoud was fouled. Both sides traded chances, and as extra time beckoned, Dell broke Moroccan hearts with a stoppage-time winner - rounding the goalkeeper and coolly slotting home.

Brazil coach Carlos Eduardo Patetuci captured the moment:

“We dominated the game from the beginning. The draw affected us, but we came back well in the second half and believed until the end. I’m very happy for qualifying to the last-four stage.”