November 4 – As achievements go on the world football stage, it was mighty impressive especially given their post-Covid history.
North Korea sealed a landmark third under-17 women’s World Cup on Sunday, upsetting favourites Spain 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in the Dominican Republic capital of Santo Domingo on Sunday.
Their victory marks the second time in history that the DPR have secured both the women’s U-20 and U-17 world titles in the same year, having defeated traditional rivals Japan in Bogotá two months ago in the u-20 final.
Paying tribute to the Koreans, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa commented: “DPR Korea have been extraordinary in the Dominican Republic and their tenacity and exceptional teamwork is indeed a tribute to the world-class players on the pitch and the tireless efforts of everyone working behind the scenes.
“The dedication of the DPR Korea Football Association to establish a consistent and dynamic pipeline of future stars must be applauded and we congratulate them, not only on this triumph, but also on being the only member association in world football to repeat the feat of capturing back-to-back women’s age-group titles in the same year.
“The AFC’s Vision and Mission of ensuring our teams succeed on the biggest stages and the achievements of our women’s teams are testament to our ambitions coming to life. I am confident that DPR Korea’s shining example will serve as an inspiration for others to emulate.”
North Korea’s run in the Caribbean saw them score 14 goals and concede just twice in six matches with Jon Il Chong, who scored the all-important equaliser against Spain in the final, clinching the coveted Golden Ball accolade.
After falling behind to Celia Segura’s tap-in, North Korea equalised almost immediately to force penalties in front of a crowd of 18,410. However it was their goalkeeper Pak Ju-gyong who excelled in the final, pulling off a string of saves including one in the shoot-out
North Korea’s win cements their status as a powerhouse in women’s youth football.
“We’re proud to beat the best European team to become the best team in the world,” said DPR Korea head coach Song Sung-gwon whose country won the inaugural under-17 competition in 2008 and repeated the feat eight years later. “We were able to win because of our unity. We learned once again that if we fight together as one, winning is inevitable.”
North Korea’s success was all the more eye-catching given the country’s post-Covid policy of isolation, plus the fact that at the 2011 tournament five of their players failed doping tests and the country was banned from entering the subsequent World Cup.
Following the Covid pandemic, North Korea barred its players from competing internationally for over four years which led to the women’s team losing its FIFA world ranking. Whether success at U17 level can now lead to qualification for the senior competition remains to be seen.
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