AFRICA’S surviving team at the ongoing fifth FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, Ghana, on Thursday crashed out following a 1-2 loss to Korea DPR.
The Black Maidens bowed to a 94th minute winner which came through substitute Ja Un-Yong, in a quarter-final game decided at Al Hassan International Stadium, Jordan.
Kim Po-Ui put the Koreans who battered Nigeria’s Flamingoes 3-0 in a last group game ahead with a 33rdminute penalty, while the Africans battled spiritedly to level up and succeeded in the 81st minute through Gifty Acheampong’s header past goalkeeper Ok Kum-Ju after Philicity Asuako had lofted the ball into the box with an overhead kick.
Meanwhile, coach of the Black Maidens, Evans Adotey said his players did their best in the competition, adding that he blamed no player for the loss to Korea DPR.
“We managed to beat Korea DPR in Costa Rica two years ago and it was definitely my ambition to do so again. It was a tough game but I really thought we thought we had done enough to take it to penalties. In the end though, the Koreans had their revenge. I’m down about what happened but I have accepted the defeat and I don’t blame any individuals players,” Adotey told FIFA.com.
“We should not have given away that late free-kick [which led to the winning goal] and concentration in front of goal also should have been better. The first goal – the penalty – also arose from a defensive error. But mistakes happen in football, and I also have responsibility to take. The result hurts us because it was our plan to make the last four. But I can say for sure that our players did their best and I am satisfied with their efforts,” Evans told FIFA.com after the match.
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