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2017 U-20 World Cup round-up, Group E, round 2: France puts four past Vietnam; New Zealand knocks over Honduras

France is through to the knockout rounds; New Zealand has one foot in the round of 16.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Group E is expected to send France and another team or two into the knockout rounds. No change to that expectation after two rounds of the group stage of the 2017 Men's U-20 World Cup.

France 4-0 Vietnam

France could and should have scored more: Jean-Kevin Augustin missed a penalty in the opening minutes. But the flow of chances never abated and Augustin had a brace by half-time. Marcus Thuram - son of France great, Lilian - opened the scoring in the 18th minute; Augustin, top scorer and MVP at the 2016 UEFA European U-19 Championship - got his second goal of the tournament in the 22nd minute and his third in the 45th. Denis-Will Poha scored in the 52nd; surprisingly, despite a red card for Dinh Trong Tran in the 74th minute, France didn't add to its total.

It was an imposing victory for the tournament favorite. France is now assured a place in the knockout rounds.

Vietnam isn't out of the competition by any means. Its task is to shrug off this defeat and look for three points against Honduras on May 28.

New Zealand 3-1 Honduras

Los Catrachos' hopes of making the round of 16 were shredded by a clinical performance from New Zealand. While Honduras enjoyed plenty of possession and didn't do a lot with it, the All Whites registered three shots on target and put them all in the net.

Myer Bevan set the tone in the first minute, scoring one of the goals of the tournament from an improbable angle. He also chipped in the free kick that found Hunter Ashworth's head for New Zealand's second in the 23rd minutes, and scored the 56th-minute penalty that put his team 3-1 up after Honduras had briefly threatened to revive itself with a goal from Jorge Alvarez in the 50th minute.

Though New Zealand is expected to lose its next game to France, four points could be good enough for second - and the round of 16 - in this group. Honduras has little choice but to go all out for a win against Vietnam, and if it is successful (or if it at least draws the game) then it will hand the runner-up spot in Group E to the All Whites.

Of course, Honduras doesn't look in the sort of form necessary to beat any team in this tournament. New Zealand will have to hope Los Catrachos don't make their next game as easy for Vietnam as they did for the All Whites.

Final games in Group E:

  • France vs New Zealand - 2:00 am, Eastern; Sunday, May 28
  • Honduras vs Vietnam - 2:00 am, Eastern; Sunday, May 28