Korea DPR edges Spain on Shootouts to claim record 3rd U-17 Women's world cup

U-17 Women's world cup 

Monday, 4 November, 2024 

McCreadie, 

DPR Korea have won the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup for a record third time, edging out Spain 4-3 on penalties after an enthralling 1-1 draw in Dominican Republic .

Jong Pok Yong was the only player of the ten to miss which allowed Lady Luck Kang R to slot home the winner and regain a trophy the North Koreans won last in 2016.

Finals are often tense, insipid affairs but this was anything but, and the high-energy, high-quality football on show provided a fantastic advert for this tournament and women's football. 

The pace was frenetic from the word go, with openings at either end and Spain in particular producing superb, flowing moves that thrilled the noisy crowd.

Both teams went into the Finals with a 100% record in the tournament with North Korea winning 1-0 over Poland and 1-0 Win over USA in the Quater Finals and Semi - Finals respectively while Spain demolished Ecuador 5-0 in the Quaters and England 3-0 in the Semis. 

The Final was a chance for both teams to prove their supremacy in the tournament both eyeing for a record 3rd, meanwhile Spain had dominated DPR in recent meetings having won the last two encounters including a 2-1 win on the Shootouts in the 2018 Quaters . 

It was Spain who opened up the Scoresheet as Barcelona's Celia Segura buried the ball in the back of the net in the 61st minute after a goalless first half. However, DPR took only four minutes to respond with Jon II Chong finding the much needed equalizer which held the game into the Penalty Shootouts. 

DPR slotted home 4 of their five as Spain's Santiago and Comendador lost their Spot Kicks handing the AFC team their third World Cup. 

In a previous  match, a confident and comprehensive bounce back display, along with another one-goal, one-assist performance from prolific midfielder Kennedy Fuller, propelled the U.S. Under-17 Women’s Youth National Team to a 3-0 win over England and a historic bronze medal at the eighth FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Four days after falling to Korea DPR in the semifinals, the resilient USA sealed its first medal -- and best U-17 Women’s World Cup finish -- since the inaugural event back in 2008, when it won silver.

Fuller (Angel City FC) and forward Melanie Barcenas (San Diego Wave), two of the unprecedented four professionals on this U-17 squad, combined for the winning goal at the Estadio Félix Sánchez in the Dominican capital. 

Seattle Reign midfielder Ainsley McCammon added the second goal and Alabama forward Maddie Padelski the third, while 16-year-old goalkeeper Evan O’Steen posted her fourth shutout of the tournament.

Tournament stats

Korea DPR hold the record for the latest goal scored in the U-17 decider. It clinched the inaugural edition, as Jang Hyon-sun broke through USA's defence to slot home a 113th-minute winner.

Four of the seven finals so far have been decided by either extra time or penalties, accounting for 57.1 per cent of showdowns. That is the highest proportion of finals decided beyond regulation time of any 11-a-side FIFA World Cup.

The final against Spain will be Korea DPR's 37th game at the tournament. Only Japan on 38 have played more.

This was a fourth U-17 final for Korea DPR and Spain respectively. The AFC powerhouses won the maiden title in 2008 against USA and defeated Japan on penalties in 2016, but fell to France on spot-kicks in 2012. Spain, for their part, lost 2-0 to Japan in 2014, but beat Mexico 2-1 four years later, and edged out Colombia 1-0 in 2022.

When Spain defeated Colombia two years ago, they became the first side to ever lift this trophy in back-to-back tournaments. Now, they are aiming to become the first side ever – male or female – to lift three consecutive 11-a-side FIFA World Cups.