Serbia beat the United States 6-5 on penalties Sunday, highlighting the value of a strong defensive combination as it reached the Under-20 World Cup semifinals for the first time.
The match needed 18 penalties to decide a victor after it finished 0-0 after extra time, and in the end Serbia advanced after a marathon shootout.
Serbia, which restricted the Americans to two shots on target, has conceded just two goals in more than 500 minutes of World Cup action and is the only European team in the semifinals. Serbia next plays Wednesday against Mali, which upset Germany 4-3 on penalties in Christchurch.