Yáser Asprilla and Matheus Martins have made it to the knockout stage of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup with their respective nations, with Colombia and Brazil both sealing top spot in their groups over the weekend.
Asprilla, 19, was an unused substitute as 2003 semi-finalists Colombia - who had sealed progression from Group C with victory over Japan in their previous game - drew 1-1 with Senegal at the Estadio Único Diego Armando Maradona on Saturday (May 27), with Óscar Cortés cancelling out Mamadou Lamine Camara’s opener deep into second-half injury-time.
Next up for Asprilla and his teammates is a mouth-watering Round of 16 clash against Group B’s third-place finishers Slovakia, at the Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario on Wednesday May 31 (6.30pm KO UK time).
Martins - also 19 - featured as a second-half substitute as Brazil saw off Nigeria 2-0 earlier on Saturday (May 27) in front of nearly 30,000 supporters in La Plata, to top the Group D ranks on goal difference.
The five-time champions are now set to take on Tunisia back at the Estadio Único Diego Armando Maradona on Wednesday May 31 (6.30pm KO UK time) for a spot in the quarter-finals, with the North Africans having finished behind England and Uruguay in Group E.
Elsewhere, on the senior international scene, a handful of Hornets have been called up by their countries ahead of a feast of summer action.
Defender Ryan Porteous - who scored two goals in 17 Watford appearances during 2022/23 following his January arrival - has been included in the Scotland squad set to take on Norway (Saturday June 17, 5pm KO) and Georgia (Tuesday June 20, 7.45pm KO) in European Championship qualifiers next month.
Imrân Louza has been picked by Morocco ahead of their friendly against Cape Verde (Monday June 12, 8pm KO UK time), and an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa five days later (4pm KO UK time).
Leandro Bacuna will bid to help Curaçao qualify for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup in a round-one fixture against Saint Kitts and Nevis on Friday June 16 (2am KO UK time) - ahead of a potential round-two tie on Tuesday June 20 - after a friendly match against Puerto Rico on Tuesday June 13.
Meanwhile, on the domestic front, William Troost-Ekong scored an injury-time winner as Salernitana beat Udinese 3-2 in Italy’s Serie A on Saturday (May 27). The Garnets sit 15th in the league standings, with just a trip to Cremonese remaining (Saturday June 3, 8pm KO UK time).
Fellow defender Mattie Pollock wrapped up his successful loan spell at Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen by completing 90 minutes of a final-day defeat at champions Celtic (Saturday May 27). The 21-year-old departs Pittodrie having scored two goals in 15 appearances, and helped the Dons secure European football for next term.
