North Shines In Women’s Soccer Final

“Our country is small but we are a strong team. Everybody will have to remember this.” North Korea and China played a 2006 FIFA Under-20 Women’s Soccer World Championships final match at Lokomotiv Stadium, Moscow amid pouring rain on September 4. North Korea’s striker Kim Sung-hee, who scored often during the final match and played a crucial role in the team’s 5-0 victory, emphasized in an interview after the game that, “You have to remember that we are a strong team.”

This is the first time that North Korea’s national youth soccer team has participated in the U-20 Women’s Soccer World Championship, and they took the gold. North Korea was eyed as a powerful team as it swept formidable rivals Germany, Switzerland and Mexico in the group league, and then defeated France and Brazil to enter into the final match. At the finals, North Korea met with China, one of the teams highly favored to win, and triumphantly won the match leading by five goals, which is the biggest goal difference for a final match in the history of this championship.

North Korea showed off its powerful ability by scoring 18 goals and allowing only one goal in the six matches they played during this championship. North Korea also received the fair play award, which is given to the team which played matches in the most sportsmanlike manner.

300 North Korean fans were on the spot shouting “Kang Seong Dae Guk,” and the North Korean team led the game from the beginning of the match. In the first half, Cho Yoon-mi found her way through two defenders with her elaborate dribbles and scored a goal in the penalty area, 29 minutes into the game. Then, Kim Sung-hee added goals 39 minutes into the first half and during the additional injury time. Also seven minutes into the second half, Kim kicked in a ball that had been shot from a distance but had bounced off the goalkeeper’s hand. Gil Sun-hee made a goal directly from kicking a corner kick, and recorded the fifth goal at 11 minutes into the second half.

Kim Sung-hee who recorded five goals and one assist during the championship, received the “silver shoe” award. China’s Ma Xiaoxu received the top scorer award with five goals and two assists. In the case that the number of goals is the same, the award is given to the player with more assists. China’s leading star Ma Xiaoxu played in the second half of the final match but she did not make any goals.

The golden ball, which is the reward for the MVP voted by the reporters, also went to Ma Xiaoxu.

North Korea’s coach Choi Gwang-seok said, “I’m happy that we were able to show our true ability and I thank our cheering squad. We have many talented players. With winning this championship, we will work to discover more players and improve their ability.”

bluesky@donga.com