France 1-2 Spain, FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, As it happened

FULL TIME : FRANCE 1-2 SPAIN

A very controversial Penalty decision at right on 90th minute for Spain resulted in a 2-1 victory for the European Champions. It was a game of two halves as France looked the better side in the first half while Spain in the later. Pintor took France ahead after the Spanish defense were stranded with a calm finish in the bottom corner. Spain equalised in style after ten minutes right on half time after Miranda headed in a thumping header following a cross.

Spain dominated the second half and just as it looked that the game would be decided via the dreaded Penalty Shootout, the referee steps up and awards a very soft penalty to Spain and as usual Abel Ruiz stepped up for the big occasion.

Spain go through the Round of 16 and has qualified for the Quarter Finals!

Thanks for tuning in to our coverage of this exciting game. It is Sayak signing off until next time!

and it's sheer Jubiliation for the European Champions as the referee blows the whistle for the final time!

5 Minutes added on as France are all out on attack for the all important equaliser.

90' Alvaro GARCIA (in) comes off the bench to replace Abel RUIZ (out) (Spain)

90' GOOOOOOOOOOAL! A Penalty to avoid a Penalty Shoot out here in Guwahati as Abel Ruiz fires in a shot to take Spain 2-1 ahead.

89' PENALTY! for Spain. A Very Harsh Decision as there was minimum contact from Soleh on Lara.

The players have apparently given up hopes of getting ahead in regulation time as the dreaded Penalty shootout is on the cusp of happening. Several Substitutions have been made already as the coaches are getting ready.

88' Andy PELMARD (in) comes off the bench to replace Maxence LACROIX (out) (France)

87' NACHO DIAZ (in) comes off the bench to replace Sergio GOMEZ (out) (Spain)

87' Willem GEUBBELS (in) comes off the bench to replace Lenny PINTOR (out) (France)

83' A lovely cross from Abel Ruiz is cleared off for a Corner.

80' Players are looking extremely exhausted and perhaps they are looking forward to the Penalty shoot out which would be first ever Penalty Shoot out in any FIFA Event in India.

79' Wilson ISIDOR (in) comes off the bench to replace Alexis FLIPS (out) (France)

77' Sergio GOMEZ (Spain) is booked by the referee.

72' Jose LARA (in) comes off the bench to replace Cesar GELABERT (out) (Spain)

69' Claudio GOMES (France) is booked by the referee.

61' Neat one-two from Spain again as a brilliant cross up from Gomes which Ferran fails to turn it in. Spain are on song here in Guwahati.

59' SAVED! Fofana rescues France again as Spain are beginning to be on top as another half chance goes abegging for Spain.

57' SAVED! How on earth did that not go in? French Defense in sixes and sevens as Sergio Gomes' shot is saved by the French Goalkeeper while the follow up goes over. That was the chance to go 2-1 ahead.

54' Yacine ADLI (France) is cautioned.

52' Spain looking extremely vulnerable as France are finding the gaps in the Spanish half and have had several chances already into the second half.

Welcome back for the second-half here in Guwahati as both teams are level and 45 minutes left to avoid the dreaded Penalty shoot-out.

HALF TIME : France 1-1 Spain

A Pulsating half comes to an end with France taking the lead but Spain hit hard straight away with a thumping header from Juan Miranda. Spain have been giving on possession way too cheaply for their liking while France have looked the better side here.

44' GOOOAAAAAAAAL! and Spain have equalised through Juan MIRANDA!

35' GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL! France go ahead from Pintor as he slots a brilliant ball into the back of the net as the Spanish defense were stranded. France were looking dangerous for a while and now Spain have paid the price of giving up possession cheaply way too many times.

33' Pinto's low cross is deflected off for a corner after several mid-field skirmishes for a while.

26' A Brilliant cross from Torres which is tamely connected by Ruiz on counter. The French keeper collects it comfortably. Ruiz should have done better as the French defense were caught off guard for a moment.

26' Flips has a venomous shot on goal from a free-kick which was mishandled by Alvaro but he recovers somehow.

20' France gets their first corner after a shot from Bianda is saved by Alvaro

19' MISS! A Brilliant curling freekick from Ruiz goes wide off a Torres header. Best chance for Spain so far.

18' A good looking low cross from Torres is intercepted by Gomes as Ruiz was behind him.

16' OFFSIDE? Abel Ruiz was through on goal after a brilliant ball but the referee raises his flag for an offside but it didn't look like though. Controversial decision as Ruiz protests.

15' SHOT! A Shot from Pinto which is relatively weak goes off target after Spain gave up possession way too cheaply in their own box.

13' Sergio Romes with a delicious cross which is intercepted by Solet for a throw in.

12' PENALTY? First real chance for France as Pinto goes down into the box, as he claims for a Penalty but the referee had other ideas.

10' It's now evident how the game would go. Spain are holding lion's share of possession while France is relying on counter attacks.

8' Abel Ruiz tries a lob to Gomes but a timely interception from France results in another Spanish corner.

7' France try to take advantage of exchange of possession but the Spanish see it off again comfortably.

TIKI-TAKA! Spain showing an exemplary level of patient passing.

3' France try to launch off a counter but successfully held off by the Spanish defense.

2' a rather peculiar and miscued ball from Gomes results in a Spain Corner.

and Spain gets us away in White from left to right while France are in their traditional Blue Colours.

A Sparsed crowd in Guwahati as the atmosphere is extremely humid (74%) with the mercury touching 28 on the Celsius scale.

The teams are out and National Anthems next.

and let's have a look at the Substitutes bench.

FRANCE : BERNARD (GK), MESLIER (GK), PELMARD, TCHOUAMENI,GEUBBELS, KEROUDEN, ISIDOR, PICOULEAU, MENDY, BARD
SPAIN : VIDAL (GK), ALFONSO, NACHO DIAZ, PEDRO, ALVARO G, ERIC, PAMPIN, LARA, BEITIA, VICTOR

Let's have a look at the starting line ups of today's Blockbuster encounter here in Guwahati!

FRANCE : FOFANA (GK), COLLET, SOLET, BIANDA, GOMES(C), ADLI, GOUIRI, CAQUERET FLIPS, PINTOR, LACROIX
SPAIN : ALVARO (GK), MATEU JAUME, MIRANDA, GUILLAMON, CHUST, BLANCO, FERRAN, MOHA M, ABEL RUIZ (C), SERGIO GOMEZ, CESAR

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017.

Today's Round of 16 matches include a big one between European rivals France and Spain and it will be a battle of wits as much as a battle of skill at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.

France will be confident of a good showing after leading the goalscoring charts at the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017 so far. Their prolific striker Amine Gouiri and playmaker-par-excellence Yacine Adli will be the ones to watch out for today.

Meanwhile, Spain have recovered well from their opening day defeat to Brazil to record two straight wins over Korea DPR and Niger to make it into the knockout stage. Although the Spaniards have been as eye-catching as their French counterparts, they are a dangerous team in the knockout stage considering they won the semi-final and final of this year's U17 Euros on penalties.

The match kicks off at 5 pm Indian Standard Time at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.

Here are the two squads:

Spain
Alvaro Fernandez (GK), Mateu Jaume, Juan Miranda, Hugo Guillamon, Victor Chust, Antonio Blanco, Ferran Torres, Mohamed Moukhliss, Abel Ruiz, Sergio Gomez, Nacho Diaz, Pedro Ruiz ,Marc Vidal, Alvaro Garcia, Eric Garcia, Diego Pampin, Jose Lara, Cesar Gelabert, Carlos Beitia, Victor Perea, Alfonso Pastor

France
Goalkeepers: Brahia Bernard, Yahia Fofana, Illan Meslier.

Defenders: Melvin Bard, William Bianda, Vincent Collet, Maxime Lacroix, Batista Mendy, Andy Pelmard, Oumar Solet.

Midfielders: Yacine Adli, Maxence Caqueret, Claudio Gomes, Alan Kerouedan, Mathias Picouleau, Lenny Pintor, Aurélien Tchouaméni

Forwards: Alexis Flips, Willem Geubbels, Amine Gouiri, Wilson Isidor

France 1-2 Spain, FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, As it happened

Full Time: France 1-2 Spain