U17 Women Fall in Final

Korea Wins the First Under-17 World Cup

November 16, 2008

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – The U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team lost the U17 World Cup Final, falling 2-1 in overtime to Korea in front of 16,162 at North Harbour Stadium.

The North Koreans became the first-ever women’s U17 champions, but they had to work extremely hard against a committed U.S. side that left everything it had on the field over the 120 minutes.

The USA took an early lead on a strange goal in just the second minute of the match. Central defender Cloee Colohan chucked a long throw-in from the right sideline and the Koreans let the ball bounce in the penalty area. In windy conditions, it took a huge hop over goalkeeper Hong Myong Hui, who jumped backwards for the ball, but only managed to push it into the net. Had she not touched the ball, the goal would not have counted.

The USA defended the 1-0 lead gamely until 13 minutes remained in the match when North Korea got what was a deserved equalizer. Ri Un Ae sent a sizzling 30-yard free-kick against the underside of the crossbar and the ball bounced hard down just inside the field. A North Korean player kept it alive at the left post, kicking the ball back over her head into the middle of the penalty area where Kim Un Hyang lofted a header into the left corner.

North Korea outshot the U.S. 31-16 for the match, putting 14 shots on goal to the U.S.’s three, but U.S. goalkeeper Taylor Vancil was on her game, catching numerous dangerous crosses while making several excellent stops on low shots throughout the match.

The game-winner came just seven minutes left in overtime as Jang Hyon Sun finished off a lighting counter-attack, cutting inside from the left wing to lose a U.S. defender before rifling a right-footed shot from the top of the box that skipped just beyond Vancil’s reach and into the lower left corner for the 2-1 win.

The U.S. had two chances to grab an equalizer and send the match to penalty kicks, but Massachusetts native Samantha Mewis fired high from the left corner of the penalty area in the 117th minute and the team’s final corner kick just seconds from time was cleared away.

The U.S. also had a few chances to get the first goal in overtime. In the 93rd minute, Kristie Mewis, Samantha’s sister, bent a free-kick over the defensive wall from the right side of the penalty, but Hong made a solid save at the near post. In the 108th minute, another long-throw in from Colohan looked dangerous as it skipped off Samantha Mewis’ head and to the head of substitute Samantha Johnson, but she couldn’t turn it on goal.

Kristie Mewis also put a corner kick onto the head of her sister in the 109th minute, but Samantha Mewis sent it just over the crossbar.

Vancil, who played every minute for the USA in nets, was awarded Golden Glove Award as the best goalkeeper in the tournament.

Verloo, who tied Jon Myong Hwa for third in scoring in the tournament with four goals and one assist each, just missed out on the Bronze Boot as she played two more minutes than Jon over the course of the tournament which was the tie-breaker for the award.

U.S. UNDER-17 WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT

Scoring Summary:
USA – Own Goal (Hong Myong Hui) 2nd minute
PRK – Kim Un Hyang (n/a) 77th
PRK – Jang Hyong Sun (n/a) 113rd

Lineups:
USA: 18-Taylor Vancil; 4-Crystal Dunn, 6-Cloee Colohan, 17-Rachel Quon; 11-Samantha Mewis, 3-Amber Brooks (Capt.), 13-Julia Roberts, 10-Kristie Mewis, 20-Olivia Klei (19-Elizabeth Eddy, 61); 8-Vicki DiMartino (9-Samantha Johnson, 106), 7-Courtney Verloo

PRK: 1-Hong Myong Hui; 2-Hyon Un Hui, 3-Jon Hong Yon, 5-Kim Sol Hui, 18-Kim Un Hyang; 6-Kim Uj (15-Ri Un Ae, 68), 8-Pae Yon Hui (19-Jang Hyon Sun, 104), 12-Kim Hyon Mi, 9-Ho Un Byol; 10-Jon Myong Hwa, 11-Yun Hyon Hui (7-Kim Un Ju, 53)

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