The United Arab Emirates made it to the AFC Youth Championship semifinals upsetting host Saudi Arabia 1-0 at the Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam on Saturday. The loss also ended the Saudi team's hopes of advancing to the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Prince Sultan Bin Fahd, President of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare, threw the blame for the loss at individual mistakes committed by the players. The win also secured the UAE side a berth at the next year's FIFA U-20 World Cup Finals in Egypt. Australia, South Korea and Uzbekistan also achieved the same goals after recording quarterfinals victories over their respective rivals. Australia edged defending champion North Korea after a 2-1 extra-time win at the Prince Saud Bin Jalawi Stadium in Al-Khobar while South Korea blanked Japan 3-0 in Dammam. Uzbekistan had the toughest route to the AFC Championship semifinals as it beat China 4-3 in a shootout. The United Arab Emirates now clashes with Australia while nine-time winner South Korea takes on Uzbekistan. Thiab Awana sealed the win for the United Arab Emirates with his second-half goal. Saudi Arabia, however, was the best in the early minutes of the match. A Nawaf Al-Abed shot in the 8th minute was denied by the United Arab Emirates' keeper, Yousif Abdul Rahman. Al-Abed hit the bar a minute later. Abdul Rahim Jizawi scored for Saudi Arabia minutes before the break but he was declared offside. Awana beat the Saudi defense before netting the ball into the right side of the advancing Saudi keeper in the 63rd minute of the match. Keeper Murod Khalmukhamedov was the hero for Uzbekistan as he denied a spot kick to take his side to a 4-3 win over China. In another match, Mitchell Nichols scored a brace to help Australia secure a 2-1 win over North Korea. South Korea was the first Asian team to book a place in the 2009 Under-20 World Cup when it blanked Japan 3-0 in Dammam. Yu Jino put South Korea ahead in the first half and Cho Youngcheol doubled the lead after the break. Choi Jung Han completed the tally. __
