Dominican 2024: North Korea Whip England 4-0 to Move into Quarterfinals.
**As Kenya Shock Mexico 2-1 Both Teams Crash out
North Korea on Thursday morning at the Cibao Stadium in Dominican Republic drilled the Young Three Lionesses of England 4-0 in the last Group C match of the world women’s U17 football Cup to move into the quarterfinals.
Ryu-Mi Kang sounded the first goal in the 10th minute from Jon’s pass and Il-Son Choe made it 2-0 in the 18th minute. Il-Son had scored in the 4-1 drubbing of Mexico. 17 year old Il-son had played in the world women’s U20 too. It was VAR that rescued England rejecting the North Korean 3rd goal in the 30th minute before half time break.
On resumption, North Korea added two more goals via penalty kick well taken by Kuk-Hyang Ri who also scored in the 3-0 victory over Kenya but a penalty advantage to North Korea had been cancelled by VAR in the 66th minute. R. Kand located Kyong Ho to score the 4th goal in the 73rd minute.
Cover Photo by Eniola Olatunji shows North Korea celebrate after the last whistle.
The red card given England’s Nigerian born Midfielder, Omotara Junaid in the 57th minute of the second game against Mexico affected the defensive strategy of England.
First round scores were North Korea 4 Mexico 1 and England 2 Kenya 0 and in the 2nd round it was England 4 Mexico 2 and North Korea 3 Kenya 0.
In the 2nd match played at Santo Domingo under Ref Jelana Cvetkovic of Serbia, Kenya stung Mexico 2-1.
Ogola gave an assist for Nekessa to score in the 15th minute and Nekessa got L. Faith for the 2nd goal in the 36th minute only for Soto Ramirez to reduce the tally in the 90+2 minute via penalty kick.
North Korea’s dent of England was not enough to make England crash out of the tournament as she placed 2nd in the group with 6 points scoring 6 goals and conceding 6 goals too for North Korea to top group C with 9 points scoring 11 goals and conceding a lone goal; Kenya placed 3rd with her 3 points victory over Mexico scoring 2 goals and conceding 6 goals while Mexico goes home with no point scored 4 goals and conceded 10 goals.
Thus Poland will be next opponent of England in the 2nd quarterfinal scheduled for Saturday at 2330 hours and Japan will do battle in an Asian war angainst North Korea in the 4th quarter final on Sunday at 2330 hours.
Nigeria will play the first quarterfinal against USA on Saturday at 8:30 pm going back to the stadium of their first two matches at Santiago de los Cabelleros while Ecuador will test might against Spain in the 3rd quarterfinal on Sunday by 8:30 pm at Santiago Domino.
The semifinals will be Nigeria/USA versus North Korea/Japan on Wdnesday at Midnight while the 2nd semifinal will be England/ Poland versus Spain?Ecuador on Thursday at midnight.
The 3rd place match for the Bronze Medal is scheduled for Sunday at 1930 hours before the grand finale at 2300 hours of same Sunday.
