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JEJU. — Zambia came out on top in an intriguing tussle with Portugal to stun the twice-former World champions Portugal at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in South Korea, winning their opening Group C match 2-1 in Jeju.

Both sides set up playing to their strengths: Portugal limiting the space, favouring their technical prowess, Zambia sitting deep, containing and looking to strike on the break.

Chances came at both ends, with Zambia being saved by Moses Nyondo – blocking Diogo Goncalves’ goal-bound strike, before the game kicked up a gear after the break.

The African champions started the quicker and made it count. Enock Mwepu’s shot wrong-footed Diogo Costa and, though the keeper produced a fine reflex save, Edward Chilufya was on hand to tap in.

With that, the game opened up.

Portugal were not short of opportunities. Diogo Goncalves and Andre Ribeiro both had their share, as well as the creative Xadas – who shone in the first period and waned in the second – but spurned them.

So, when Fashion Sakala struck a solo second with 15 minutes to go, you thought it would not be the two-time Under-20 World Cup winners’ day. Shimmying past two defenders, the Spartak Moscow man fired in at the near post to seal the win.

Helder struck in stoppage time following Mangani Banda’s save, but it was too little, too late.

There was no opening day joy though for South Africa as Japan came from behind and claimed all three points in a 2-1 win over Amajita in a Group D encounter at Suwon World Cup Stadium.

Grant Margeman opened the scoring for Amajita in the seventh minute when he chested down a high through-ball in the box before firing past goalkeeper Ryosuke Kojima.

Both sides produced goal-scoring chances throughout the first half, but could not produce anything tangible to show for their efforts. Japan came out firing on all cylinders in the second half and scored just a few minutes in.

Koki Ogawa showed his ability in the box and finished a cross from the Japanese left. Mondi Mpoto got his hands to the ball, but not before it had crossed the line.

Japan then completed their comeback in style thanks to Ritsu Doan, who curled a shot beyond Mpoto’s reach into the far corner after some well-worked combination play with teammate Takefusa Kubo.

The Japanese lead Group D following Uruguay’s 1-0 win over Italy.

On Saturday, Guinea began their World Cup campaign with a 3-0 defeat to hosts South Korea.

Senegal, the fourth African nation competing at the U-20 World Cup, begin their Group F bid against Saudi Arabia in Incheon today.

In another Group C match Mohammad Mehdi Mehdikhani secured an opening win for Iran as his late goal saw off Costa Rica 1-0.

Despite Iran’s fairly well-established FIFA World Cup pedigree, having appeared at three in the last 20 years, this was only their third ever outing at Under-20 level – and the first of those came in the inaugural tournament. Because of that, you could forgive them for being a tad ring-rusty.

In truth though, Costa Rica were not much sharper.

Both struggled to fashion opportunities in a tepid first half. Iran began the brighter of the pair, looking to utilise a distinct height advantage.

As time wore on, Costa Rica’s stronger possession game saw them begin to dictate the pace of the match, though a sloppy final ball undermined their chance of fashioning any clear openings.

The pattern continued until the latter stages where Iran first came close from an audacious Omid Norafkan corner, clipping the top of the bar, before the deadlock was broken with nine minutes to go.

Unmarked at the far post, Mehdikhani chested down and fired low into the bottom left corner to snatch three points from what looked like a certain stalemate. — fifa.com