Caracas (AFP) – They are suffering hunger and violence, but baseball-mad Venezuelans found unexpected solace in football as their under-20 team won through to Sunday’s World Cup final against England.

The “claret reds” or “chamos” (“lads”) squeaked through on penalties in Thursday’s semi-final in South Korea, after holding Uruguay to 1-1 at the end of extra time.

It is Venezuela’s greatest achievement ever in world football.

Despite one of Venezuela’s most deadly crises in decades, joint first-team and under-20 coach Rafael Dudamel has an unprecedented footballing triumph within his reach.

“I am optimistic. I believe they are going to be champions,” veteran Venezuela coach Manuel Plasencia told AFP.

Currently ranked 58th in the world by FIFA, Venezuela have never qualified for a full World Cup. They are out of the running for next year’s in Russia, sitting bottom of their regional qualifying group.

But Plasencia said: “We have to treasure these lads, because they could get us to Qatar in 2022.”

– ‘Fabulous generation’ –

Several players in the under-20 squad already have full World Cup experience.

Their captain, midfielder Yangel Herrera, 19, plays for Major League Soccer side New York City, on loan from English club Manchester City.

Their star striker Adalberto Penaranda, 20, is on loan from English club Watford to Malaga.

The hero of Thursday’s 4-3 penalty shoot-out victory was goalkeeper Wuilker Farinez, 19, who plays for Caracas FC.

“A fabulous generation of players has emerged — the kind that you don’t see every day,” said Plasencia, 74.

“That has been combined with the very good work of Dudamel.”

Other young hopes such as Sergio Cordova and Ronaldo Lucena are cutting their teeth in the current tournament.

“There is going to be a leap in quality,” Richard Paez, who coached the side from 2001 to 2007, told AFP.

“But I am afraid we risk putting all the responsibility on their shoulders. This needs to be a natural process of evolution.”

– ‘Joy to the people’ –

Venezuela has suffered a wave of unrest in the past two months: 66 people have been killed during protests against the government, blamed by opponents for a desperate economic crisis.

“With football you live in a bubble, but outside of that bubble there are our families, who are suffering day to day,” Dudamel said this week.

“The ball is our only means of giving joy to people.”

Speaking from South Korea on Thursday, Dudamel called on President Nicolas Maduro to end the violence.

“President, stop the weapons. Those kids who are going out into the street only want a better Venezuela,” he said in an interview on Direct TV.

He pointed out that the latest person reported killed in the unrest was 17, the same age as midfielder Samuel Sosa whose 91st-minute goal sent the game against Uruguay into extra time.

In a country used to the din of street protests, car horns blared and joyous cries of “Viva Venezuela” erupted in Caracas after the victory.

“This is incredible. It is soothing for us all at a difficult time,” said Robert Troncoso, 33, wearing the team’s claret-red shirt in the street.

– Turning point? –

Since 2007, the Venezuelan league has obliged top-division teams to field at least one youth player in every match.

Paez says that rule is “fundamental” for nurturing young talent. But Venezuelan clubs still have a disappointing record in international club tournaments.

The domestic game, Plasencia says, needs further strengthening so players like Herrera don’t get “lost from sight.”

This new generation, he reckons, could mark a “before and after” moment.