Korea DPR and Japan Punch Tickets to U-20 Women’s World Cup Final
From the first quarter of an hour of their opening match at the tournament, when they strode to a two-goal lead against Argentina, there was a sense of inevitability about this breathtaking Korea DPR side.
On a windy Wednesday evening in Cali they, as most had expected, confirmed their participation in Sunday’s final with a 1-0 win over USA.
The same could be said for a Japan side that, like Korea DPR, went a perfect three wins in three matches in the group stage and hardly wavered in the knockout stages, culminating with a 2-0 semi-final triumph over the Netherlands to book their place in the decider.
It sets up an all-Asian final that will also serve as a rematch of the 2024 AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup final, won 2-1 by Korea DPR last March. Meanwhile, USA will tangle with the Netherlands in Saturday’s Third-Place Play-off.
The decisive goal for Korea PR came as it so often does; intense pressure forcing opposition mistakes where they pounce. In this case, it was an errant throw-in, the ball won and three passes later Choe Il-son is through on goal.
From there she rarely misses, a left-footed laser piercing into the bottom corner of Teagan Wy’s goal sending her joint top of the adidas Golden Boot race.
As they have shown throughout the tournament, USA refuse to give up what to others may seem a lost cause and they came close to finding a leveller in the 76th minute as a shot from substitute Pietra Tordin forced a smart low save from keeper Chae Un-gyong.
