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Group F is wide open, but for Ecuador there is only one, simple result required: win this game.

Ecuador can't win Group F, but it will finish either second or third if it wins this match against Senegal - and either way it would qualify for the knockout rounds, since a win would, at the very least, put it amongthe top four third-placed teams in the group stage. A draw or a loss sees Ecuador go home early from the U-20 World Cup: only the win will do.

For Senegal, this is a must-not-lose game. A tie would be sufficient to see it through to the knockout rounds: if Saudi Arabia loses or draws against the USA, it would give Senegal second place in the group; it will at least be good enough for third in Group F, and four points and a positive goal difference will see the team into the round of 16 as a third-placed group-stage qualifier if necessary. The win, of course, would be better, not least because it might see Senegal win the group (if the USA doesn't beat Saudia Arabia, or Saudi Arabia doesn't beat the USA by at least three goals). But the tie will do.

What cannot happen is a result that sees both these teams into the next round. A loss for either side will see it eliminated from the tournament, and the draw eliminates Ecuador. This is an early knockout game for both teams. One team will definitely be out of this World Cup at the final whistle, and the other will definitely be moving on to the round of 16.

Current standings in Group F:

Perlivesoccertv.com, here's where to find the game if watching from the USA:

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How to watch Ecuador vs Senegal in 2017 Men's World Cup, Group ... - Once A Metro

Tab Ramos' U-20 men's national team beat Senegal 1-0 early Thursday, setting the stage for a World Cup showdown with Saudia Arabia on Sunday. Brian Sciaretta has a match report and analysis here.

AFTER ANOTHER GOAL from youngster Josh Sargent, the United States U-20 team put on a first-rate defensive display on Thursday to defeat Senegal 1-0 and move to the top of Group F at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea.

The Yanks looked especially strong in the first half, breaking the deadlock in the 34thminute when Tyler Adams sent a ball that sprung Luca de la Torre behind Senegals defense. The Fulham midfielder then sent a perfect pass to Sargent who beat Senegal goalkeeper Mouhamed Mbaye with a hard shot. De la Torre now has two assists and a goal in the first two games of the World Cup.

For Sargent, 17, the goal marked another milestone in his remarkable two-month run. In April he was the leading scorer for the U.S. U-17 team in World Cup qualifying, scoring five goals. Tab Ramos made the surprising decision to quickly call him up to the U-20 team for the World Cup and that decision has paid massive dividends as the St. Louis native now has three goals in his first two games.

In the second half, the Americans emphasized defense but Sargent forced Mbaye to make saves in the 48thand 62thminutes. But the defensive approach was far from bunkering as Senegals offense showed little ability to generate anything dangerous.

Thanks to the central defense tandem of Erik Palmer-Brown and the now-healthy Cameron Carter-Vickers, Senegal was only able to muster two relatively weak shots on goal in the entire game.

After four minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle blew and the U.S. walked away with the deserved victory. With four points in its first two games, a win over Saudi Arabia on Sunday would be enough to clinch the group. A draw on Sunday would secure a spot in the knockout rounds although the four points it has now is likely enough, as four third-place finishers advance to the knockout round.

Here are my thoughts on the United States U-20 teams win over Senegal

Coming into the tournament,Tottenham central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers' health was in doubt. He is one of the teams top players but he missed the previous five weeks with a knee injury. In 2015 he was among the best defenders at the U-20 World Cup but now, as a full professional, he was expected to take his performance to another level.

The English-born Carter-Vickers erased any concern over his health and fitness and put on a strong display against Senegal. More importantly, his chemistry with team captain Erik Palmer-Brown (also a hold-over from the 2015 U-20 team) was strong. Both are among the best teenager American players and both played up to their potential.

Senegals normally efficient attackers ran into a brick wall in Carter-Vickers and Palmer-Brown.

The bottom line is that if Palmer-Brown and Carter-Vickers play this well, or even improve as the tournament progresses, the U.S. can go very far. That pairing can cover up a lot of weaknesses.

In World Cup qualifying, Danny Acosta featured at left back and struggled for several games. With Marlon Fossey injured, Aaron Herrera was moved into the right back position. Against Ecuador, Herrera had a nightmare first half and Acosta was merely average.

Both players improved significantly against Senegal. Acosta is still learning the left back position but had his best game for the U-20s on Thursday. He was rarely beaten defensively and pushed forward effectively into the attack on occasion.

Herrera raised his game significantly. He was beaten by a faster Senegal attacker inside the first 10 minutes again but overall worked extremely hard and was effective in the win. It is not easy to shake off a very poor game in a major tournament. Young players can crumble after bad games and it takes quite a bit of mental strength to rebound the way Herrera did.

U.S. Soccer awarded its man of the match to Carter-Vickers and many fans believed Sargent deserved the honor. Thats fair and both players have strong arguments.

But Tyler Adams also has a case to be the best player in the win over Senegal. In the game's only goal it was his pass that got the ball behind Senegals defense. Beyond that sequence, the New York Red Bulls midfielder gave a complete performanceboth offensively and defensively. His passing was the best it has ever been at the international level and defensively he forced turnovers and closed down passing lanes. His stamina is on another level as he continued to cover tons of ground as Senegal pushed for an equalizer in stoppage time.

As one of the teams youngest players, Adams is also eligible for the 2019 U-20 team. He is maturing quickly and has improved a lot since qualifying. The value of playing first-team minutes with New York is paying dividends. It will be interesting to see if offers come in for him after this tournament.

On Monday the Yanks came back from a two-goal deficit to secure a point against Ecuador. Today Ramos' men held on for a win against a very strong Senegal team that placed second in the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. In both instances the team shows the fighting spirit American teams used to be known for.

Overall there seems to be a great spirit within this team. When one player is struggling, others know how to cover for him. Similarly, players dont seem to hang their head when they make mistakes. Instead, the find a way to improve. The team didnt give up after it lost Gedion Zelalem in the opening half of the first game. Herrera found a way to shake off a poor outing in game one. Adams went from a mixed performance against Ecuador to a stellar one against Senegal.

The team has shown that it is a group of fighters and one that seems to problem-solve quickly. The first two games have been quite impressive.

On Thursday, Saudi Arabia pulled off a surprising 2-1 win over Ecuador. While Saudi Arabia played well, Ecuador was remarkably wasteful and Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Ameen Bokhari made the difference. Ecuador unleashed 24 shots and 10 were on frame; Saudi Arabia only managed three shots on goal. Ecuador had more offensive opportunities but Saudi Arabia won the game by being far more clinical.

The United States should be the favorite heading into Sunday's game (5am ET, FS1, Telemundo) and if the Americans can score early, it can frustrate Saudi Arabias chance of notching another upset against the run of play.

It's hard to see Ramos changing the starting lineup but he must start to focus on the first knockout game. The yellow card that Derrick Jones picked up against Ecuador is a concern. Another card against Ecuador will have him suspended in the knockout stage. The only other logical replacement for Jones is to move Palmer-Brown into that spot and then shift Justen Glad into central defense.

The fact Glad is healthy and managed to play a few minutes on Thursday also makes him a candidate to start. Glad could either play in his natural central defense position if Palmer-Brown moves to midfield or he could play out of position at right back.

Goalkeeper: Jonathan Klinsmann Right back: Aaron Herrera Central defender: Erik Palmer-Brown Central defender: Cameron Carter-Vickers Left back: Danny Acosta Defensive/holding midfielder: Derrick Jones Defensive/holding midfielder: Tyler Adams Right midfielder: Brooks Lennon Central midfielder: Eryk Williamson Left midfielder: Luca de la Torre Forward: Josh Sargent

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Sargent Scores Again, US U-20s Move Atop Group - AmericanSoccerNow.com

Oct 3, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Alexander Gustafsson (blue gloves) prior to his World Light Heavyweight Championship against Daniel Cormier (not pictured) at UFC 192 at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

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Sunday, the UFC makes its return to Sweden, one of the strongest overseas markets. A card loaded with European talent should also provide insight into the future of several key divisions.

Main eventing the card will be Swedens biggest star, Alexander Gustafsson, against fellow former title challenger Glover Teixeira. Both men are in the title hunt with the title picture lacking contenders.

In addition to that, Volkan Oezdemir and Misha Cirkunov will also fight in the light heavyweight division in the co-main event, with the winner certainly in the title mix as well.

Names such as Ben Saunders and Jack Hermansson, among others, will also grace the card. With that, lets take a look at the card, break down each fight and make some predictions.

Main Card

Alexander Gustafsson vs. Glover Teixeira

The main event sees the hero of Sweden return, as Alexander Gustafsson looks to score a win on his home turf against Glover Teixeira. Both Gustafsson and Teixeira are strikers, which should make this a fireworks affair. Both men depend mostly on their boxing, as they throw a large majority of their strikes with their hands. Both have knockout power too, which go nicely with the great movement and technique. On the ground, Teixeira has the advantage, though I dont think he possesses the wrestling to get Gustafsson to the mat. That will leave Teixeira upright in a dog fight. There, Gustafsson will win a close, entertaining affair to get his name back in title contention.

Misha Cirkunov vs. Volkan Oezdemir

The co-main event sees two of the best up-and-coming light heavyweights in the company square off, as Swiss fighter Volkan Oezdemir welcomes Latvian-Canadian Misha Cirkunov to the continent of Europe. Cirkunov is a well-rounded, physical light heavyweight who has shown a masterful submission game since touching down in the UFC. All four of his wins come via finish, scoring submissions over Nikita Krylov, Ion Cutelaba and Alex Nicholson, as well as a TKO over Daniel Jolly. Hes truly on his way to star status, but in his way here is Oezdemir, who opened his UFC tenure with a massive upset of Ovince Saint Preux. Oezdemir is a striker, so his only way of victory is to keep this upright. If Cirkunov gets him down, he will be in a world of trouble. Unfortunately for him, that happens here, as Cirkunov wins another bout by submission to get into title contention.

Peter Sobotta vs. Ben Saunders

An international welterweight bout is afoot, as Germanys Peter Sobotta looks to continue his solid UFC run against the always entertaining Ben Saunders. Saunders and Sobotta are very opposite fighters. Saunders is a tall, lanky striker who can grapple, but prefers to destroy people on the feet and from his very dangerous clinch. Sobotta is a grappler that usually just uses his striking to set up mat work, which will lead him to submission victories. Now in his second UFC stint, Sobotta is 3-1 in this run, which hsa seen him score wins over Nicolas Dalby, Steve Kennedy and Pawel Pawlak. Saunders has faced grapplers before with better takedowns and succeeded, so its tough to envision a Sobotta victory here. Saunders succeeds.

Omari Akhmedov vs. Abdul Razak al-Hassan

We stick in the welterweight division for the next offering, as Russias Omari Akhmedov squares off with Ghana-American Abdul Razak al-Hassan. Hassan is a judo practitioner that has shown a penchant for the striking game. Instead of using said judo, al-Hassan prefers to play the knockout game, landing huge head strikes from the get-go. He did so in his UFC debut, needing less than a minute to dispose of Charlie Ward. He faces his biggest test to date in Akhmedov, who is similarly a heavy-handed striker, but does use his ground game more than al-Hassan. Akmedov is rugged and smart, so he could turn this into a meat grinder, where he rides out al-Hassan from the top. That happens, as the crowd may be disheartened, but Akhmedov avoids the highlight reel of al-Hassan to score the win.

Oliver Enkamp vs. Nordine Taleb

On late notice in the welterweight division, Swedens Oliver Enkamp has signed with the UFC to fill in for Emil Meek, taking on the rising Nordine Taleb. Enkamp is undefeated at 7-0, finishing five of those fights in the process. He is known for his grappling, as he looks for takedowns and grabs for the neck when left open. He takes on Taleb, who is a grinder in his own right, though he is the better striker. If he can avoid a grappling match with Enkamp, he can easily pick him apart. Enkamp is a solid prospect, but hes yet to take on a guy the caliber of Taleb. The French-Canadian scores the victory in this one.

Jack Hermansson vs. Alex Nicholson

Kicking off the main card will be a middleweight scrap, as Swedens Jack Hermansson looks for a win in front of his home crowd against Alex Nicholson. Hermansson is a well-rounded fighter, though hes known better for his striking and ability to knock guys out. The former Cage Warriors Champion is 1-1 under the UFC banner, with an entertaining win over Scott Askham in his debut before he fell via submission to Cezar Ferreira. As for Nicholson, the former heavyweight and light heavyweight has migrated down to 185, and in that time, seen mixed results. He started off well by knocking out Devin Clark, but followed it up by falling via decision to Sam Alvey. This should be a close, back-and-forth fight, but in the end, I will give the edge to Hermansson, who scores the win on home soil.

Preliminary Card

Pedro Munhoz vs. Damian Stasiak

The bantamweights will headline the preliminary portion of this card, as Polands Damian Stasiak looks to score the biggest win of his career against Brazils Pedro Munhoz. Munhoz is a top-notch grappler and submission artist whose game plan is simple: ground the opponent. Munhoz is 4-2 under the UFC umbrella, with his only losses coming to top UFC bantamweights. Hes scored finishes in the company over Justin Scoggins, Russell Doane and Jerrod Sanders, all of which came by impressive submission. As for Stasiak, he started off his UFC run slow with an unimpressive loss to Yaotzin Meza, but righted the ship in his last two fights by beating Filip Pejic and Davey Grant, both of which came by submission. Like Munhoz, he prefers the ground game, though I doubt hes anywhere near the level of his adversary. The Brazilian gets the fight down and dominates, scoring another impressive submission win.

Trevor Smith vs. Chris Camozzi

Americans are set to fight on Swedish soil, Chris Camozzi fights Trevor Smith, the latter of whom fills in for the injured Swede Magnus Cedenblad. Camozzi is notoriously known as one of the most rigid fighters in the UFC middleweight division from a toughness standpoint. He is a striker who uses classical muay Thai techniques in his fights, and excels when battering people in the clinch. He needs to avoid the ground with Smith, who is a wrestler that transitions that skill to his jiu-jitsu game smoothly. With both men coming off losses, there will be a sense of urgency in this fight. Camozzi will gauge the distance well on Smith and try to pick him apart from the outside, as to stay away from the shooting distance of Smith. It should earn him a hard-fought decision win.

Reza Madadi vs. Joaquim Silva

On very late notice, Reza Madadi steps in for Mairbek Taisumov to fight Joaquim Silva in the lightweight division. Madadis UFC career has been an interesting ride thus far. In the middle of his tenure, he went to prison, putting his career in doubt. However, since his release, hes struggled to gain the momentum he had before his incarceration. Hes sandwiched a win over Yan Cabral with losses over top fighters Norman Parke and Joe Duffy. He will take his hard-nosed grinding style in the cage opposite Silva, a BJJ fighter who has shown some knockout power in his hands (see the Andrew Holbrook fight). The undefeated Brazilian would be wise to get Madadi to the ground, as thats the best chance for him to beat Madadi here. Despite the late notice, Mad Dog is a tough out for anybody in the division and he thrives in front of a friendly home audience.

Nico Musoke vs. Bojan Velickovic

Kicking off the televised portion of the prelims are the welterweights, as Swedens own Nico Musoke looks to score a win in his comeback fight against Serbian Bojan Velickovic. Musoke has been out of the cage since January of 2015, as injuries have halted his comeback to the cage. Previous to that, he had been a solid welterweight participant, taking on some tough competition to mixed results. He takes on Velickovic, who has been very active in the time Musoke has been out of competition. In fact, Velickovic is 5-1-1 in the time Musoke has been away from the cage. That is a major factor here, in my opinion. Velickovic scores a win over a rusty Musoke, getting the Serb back into the win column for the first time since his UFC debut.

Darren Till vs. Jessin Ayari

Welterweights are due to the cage next, as Englands Darren Till is set to fight Germanys Jessin Ayari. Till is an exciting, dangerous prospect in the welterweight division who boasts an undefeated record. He is destructive on the feet and on the mat, which is an ode to his time working with Astra Fight Team in Brazil. Hes coming off a wildly entertaining draw with Nicolas Dalby, so clearly hes lusting for a victory here. Ayari is a submission specialist who would like to keep Till away from the power striking and get him on his back. His UFC debut was a tough-fought split decision victory over Jim Wallhead, a countryman of Till. This should be a workmanlike fight, but when it comes to Till, hes clearly a head above Ayari, which is why he scores a late finish here.

Marcin Held vs. Damir Hadzovic

The lightweights will square off next, as Bosnian-Dane Damir Hadzovic looks to score a victory over Polands Marcin Held. Hadzovic is a striker known for his reckless, violent style on the feet. He is a head hunter, and will compromise his own defense to score a power shot. His time in the UFC has been short thus far, only having one fight with the company, a knockout loss to Mairbek Taisumov. As for Held, hes a top talent with the company, but is still looking for his first win. His first two UFC bouts he was thrown into the deep end, taking decision losses to Diego Sanchez and Joe Lauzon. That said, the loss to Lauzon was a fight many people thought Held won. He can strike in his own right, but his outright advantage would be on the mat, where he is very slick with his submission ability. That happens here, as Held works his wizardry on the ground, tapping out Hadzovic with an impressive finish.

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UFC Fight Night: Gustafsson vs. Teixeira preview and predictions - FanSided

Brazilian stars on show in all-Chinese Asian clash The Sun Herald Elsewhere in the eastern zone, the tournament is divided into two geographical regions that come together only in the final, Thai champion Muangthong United is preparing for the first knockout game in its history, against Kawasaki Frontale of Japan. and more »

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Brazilian stars on show in all-Chinese Asian clash - The Sun Herald

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Almost a quarter of billion dollars worth of Brazilian talent will be on the field in Shanghai on Wednesday as two Chinese Super League teams meet in the second round of the 2017 Asian Champions League.

Big names such as Hulk, Oscar, Alex Teixeria,Ramiresand Elkeson have all helpedShanghai SIPG and Jiangsu Suning progress past the group stage to set up the first-ever all Chinese meeting in the tournaments history.

With two-time winner Guangzhou Evergrande also in the last 16, China has more teams in the second round than ever before, with all three teams that started the tournament surviving the first round. It is another sign of the growing strength of the big spending Chinese league.

We will have to be at our best when we play Jiangsu, said Shanghai coach Andre Villas-Boas ahead of the first leg, which takes place on Wednesday with the return match in Nanjing a week later. We know all about their quality and they know all about us. We have been playing well and we will have to continue that form.

The two teams come into the game in very different situations. Hulks fifth league goal of the season helped the team to a 3-1 win in Fridays Shanghai Derby at Shanghai Shenhua. The three points put SIPG second in the table behind Guangzhou.

Jiangsu, runner-up in the league in 2016, may have won its group with two games to spare but has been struggling at home.

After ten games of the season, Jiangsu is bottom of the 16-team league with just one victory, and speculation is growing in the Chinese media that the teams coach Choi Yong-soo is in serious trouble.

We havent been getting the results in the league but our form in the Asian Champions League has been good this season, said Choi, who led FC Seoul to the 2013 final. It will be a tough game against Shanghai but if we can get a good result there in the first leg we will have a good chance of going to the next stage.

Despite the growing challenge from Chinese teams, Guangzhou Evergrande remains the only club to bring the trophy back to the country.

Under Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guangzhou, which has won the last six Chinese Super League titles, is looking to become the first club to win three Asian Champions League tournaments. The first two came in 2013 and 2015.

Guangzhou was less impressive than Jiangsu or Shanghai in the group stage but leads the standings in China. It faces a tough task against Japanese champion Kashima Antlers, with the first leg at home.

Elsewhere in the eastern zone, the tournament is divided into two geographical regions that come together only in the final, Thai champion Muangthong United is preparing for the first knockout game in its history, against Kawasaki Frontale of Japan.

The 2007 champion, Japans Urawa Reds, travels to the South Korean island of Jeju to face Jeju United.

The pick of the ties in the western zone sees 2016 finalist Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates meeting Esteghlal of Iran.

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Brazilian stars on show in all-Chinese Asian clash - Washington Times - Washington Times