FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup Chile 2008 – The Semi-Finals
Posted by Footballer on December 5, 2008
Match Highlights (Updated every matchday)
Twenty-one days after the meeting in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup New Zealand 2008, USA and Korea DPR will cross swords once more in Sunday’s Chile 2008 showpiece. Germany and France were their respective victims as the duo set up a repeat of their Auckland showdown, the Koreans needing an injury-time goal to squeeze past the French, while the Americans made the most of Sydney Leroux’s solitary strike.
France 1-2 Korea DPR
Goals: Nora Coton Pelagie 51 (France); Ri Un Ryang 68, Ri Ye Gyong 90 (Korea DPR)
Fortune smiled on the reigning champions on Thursday. After seeing the woodwork deny the French on three separate occasions in the final 15 minutes and just as everyone was readying themselves for extra-time, up popped Ri Ye Gyong to force home a long ball from Pak Kuk Hui and put the Asians in the final of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup for the second time running.
The hard-running Bleuettes had the holders against the ropes at times but were left to rue their wayward finishing. Their opponents showed no such mercy in the box, delighting the small local Asian community with two landmark goals. Ri Un Hyang’s header was the 100th strike of the tournament and their late, late winner took the number of goals scored in the history of the competition to 400.
USA 1-0 Germany
Goal: Sydney Leroux 21
In a high-intensity semi-final in Coquimbo, a sole strike from Sydney Leroux, her fifth of the event, was enough to put the USA through to the final against Korea DPR. Their German opponents will face France in an all-European third place match.
The match began at a terrific pace, and the USA had the first chance when a cross from Nikki Washington rebounded from the near post to the German penalty area, but there was no USA player to take advantage. Nine minutes later, Germany’s keeper Alisa Vetterlin made an excellent save from Alex Morgan.
The breakthrough came on 21 minutes, when Washington again got forward on the right and crossed, and Leroux slid the ball home at full stretch to give the Americans the lead. Leroux almost lobbed Vetterlin to make it two on 28 minutes, but the shot went just wide.
Although Germany revived somewhat from then on, the USA kept their shape and defended resolutely. Leroux had two more half-chances just before the hour, and although Germany’s Banecki twins were contantly looking to break through on goal, the only half-chances they had were smothered efficiently.
Germany’s best chance came on 88 minutes, when Verena Faisst sent a cross-shot at goal from a difficult angle, forcing Alyssa Naeher into an fine reflex save. Naeher was also alert when Bianca Schmidt shot from distance in the final minute, and the USA held on.
Match reports from: www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcup/news/index.html
