Korean U-17 women's football team draw 1-1 with Colombia in World Cup

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Korean U-17 women's football team draw 1-1 with Colombia in World Cup

Published: 17 Oct. 2024, 15:31

PAIK JI-HWAN
paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr

The U-17 Korean women's football team, in red, celebrates during a Group B match against Colombia at Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday. [EPA/YONHAP]

Korean forward Casey Phair scored a penalty in Korea’s 1-1 draw with Colombia on Wednesday in the U-17 Women’s World Cup, salvaging one point for her country with two group stage matches left to go.

Korea were off to a shaky start at Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in the Dominican Republic, conceding an opening goal by Ella Martinez, who slotted the ball in with a tidy shot in the 27th minute.

The young Taeguk Ladies quickly leveled in the 35th minute, with Phair finding the back of the net through a penalty.

Both sides attempted multiple shots afterward, but they were either off target or found the hands of the goalkeepers, with the match ending at 1-1.

Wednesday’s draw put Colombia in second and Korea in third place in the four-team table in Group B, with the top two teams progressing to the knockout stage.

The two sides are tied on points at one as of press time Thursday, but Colombia edge Korea out on fair play points.

Korea still have two more group stage matches against Spain and United States through which they can book a ticket to the quarterfinals. Spain sit at the top of Group B, with the United States at the bottom.

Winning this year’s U-17 World Cup would mark Korea’s first title since 2010.

For Phair, the U-17 World Cup marks her second time competing at the World Cup after making her senior team debut at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in July of last year, where she became the youngest player ever to feature in the World Cup at 16 years and 26 days.

Phair, whose mother is Korean and father is American, started playing for Korea at the U-17 level in April of last year and helped the squad earn a spot in the 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup. She was then called up to the senior team a couple months later and played in Korea’s all three group stage games at the World Cup. She is the first multiracial footballer to receive a call up for a Korean national team.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]