연합뉴스 현지 특파원 양성우 기자는 19일 보도를 통해 "국제축구연맹(FIFA) U-17 여자월드컵에 참가 중인 북한팀 선수단의 분위기가 이전 팀과는 달리 상당히 자유로운 모습을 보이고 있다. 19일(한국시간) 북한 선수들은 이틀째 숙소 뒤 호텔 수영장에 나와 물놀이로 하루 훈련을 시작했다. 위아래로 빨간색 반소매에 반바지를 입은 소녀 선수들은 신나게 물장구를 치거나 크게 수다를 떠는 등 또래 청소년다운 활달한 모습을 보였다."고 전하면서 " 취재진이 사진이나 영상을 찍어도 크게 신경을 쓰지 않았고 코치진도 기자의 질문에 열린 자세로 대응하는 등 경직된 모습은 전혀 없었다."고 설명했다.

이 보도에 따르면 "일부 선수들은 호텔 로비에 마련된 피아노를 치거나 복도에서 한데 모여 얘기를 하며 웃음꽃을 피우는 등 여느 소녀 대표팀 선수와 다르지 않았다"는 것.

또한 남측의 한 대표팀 관계자는 "참 많이 달라보인다. 예전에는 식사가 끝난 뒤 곧장 호텔방으로 들어가곤 했는데 복도에서 이런저런 얘기도 많이 하고 이제는 남북한팀이 서로가 인사도 한다"며 "선수단 전체 분위기가 상당히 자유로워 보인다"고 전했다.

양정우 연합뉴스 특파원은 북한팀 한 관계자와 가진 대담내용을 소개하면서 한 북한선수단 관계자는 16일 열린 8강전에서 한국이 나이지리아와 120분간 의 혈투 끝에 승리한 것을 기뻐하며 "정말 눈물이 날 거 같더라. 너무 잘 했다"며 북한보다 먼저 4강에 진출한 남한선수단에 진심어린 축하의 말을 전하기도 했다고 현지소식을 전했다.

트리니다드 토바고에서 개최된 17세이하 여자월드컵 축구대회 8강에 진출했던 남측 선수단과 북측 선수단은 16일 4강진출 경기에서 남측은 나이제리아를 6대5로 꺾고 승리했고, 북측 선수단은 독일을 1대0으로 이겨 각각 4강에 올라갔다.

남과 북 17세이하 여자축구 대표단이 각각 자기조 강팀들을 이기고 4강에 진출해 화제가 되고 있다.

남측 선수단은 B조 2위로 1위인 독일과 함께 8강에 진출했고, 북측 선수단도 A조 2위로 1위인 나이제리아와 함께 8강에 진출하여 남북 선수단 모두 1위로 올라 온 나이제리아와 독일을 물리치고 4강에 안착해 남은 경기 결과에 따라 남과 북이 결승에서 만날 수 있는 가능성이 점쳐지고 있다.

이번 대회에서 남측 선수단은 북측 선수단이 이기지 못했던 나이제리아를 꺾고 4강에 진출했고, 북측 선수단은 남측선수단이 조리그전에서 0대3으로 패한 독일 선수단을 1대0으로 꺾고 4강에 진출하게 되어 남북 모두 조리그전에서 패한 선수단을 북과 남 선수단이 설욕하여주어 조리그전에서 패한 선수단을 각각 대신하여 승리한 결과를 만들었다.

그리고 2강전 진출경기는 22일 남측은 브라질을 꺾고 올라온 스페인과 맞붙게 되고, 북측 선수단은 아이랜드를 꺾고 올라 온 일본과 대결할 계획이다. 이날 경기에서 이기는 나라가 최종 결승전에 진출하게 된다.

Disciplined DPR send Germans out Email my friend Share

<##IMAGE##> A supremely disciplined Korea DPR outfit joined their Southern neighbours in the semi-finals of the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago with a 1-0 win at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella in the late game on Thursday. It took a cracker of a goal from Kim Kum Jong on the stroke of half-time to see the defending champions through to the last four as the Germans were held scoreless for the first time at these finals.

The first chance of an uninspired opening period came after nine minutes when Melanie Leupolz fired a curling shot with her left foot from distance that only just slipped the wrong side of Choe Kyong Im’s post and crossbar. The Germans were dictating the patterns in the early going and the Asians were content to sit back and hit out on the occasional counter-attack. The next chance of note came on the quarter-hour with Lena Lotzen – a candidate for best player at these finals – cutting inside and feeding the ball for left-back Jennifer Cramer, overlapping from deep. The FFC Turbine Potsdam player forced the keeper into an uncomfortable save, but the Korean defenders swarmed to snuff out the danger.

Three minutes later Kyra Malinowski saw her header from six yards out go just wide the post before Choe Jong Hwa failed to convert one of the Koreans’ few chances of the first half, hitting over from 12 yards out with German keeper Lena Nuding off her line and in peril. The Germans tried to hit back six minutes prior to the interval, but Leupolz’s header at the back post went agonisingly wide of the target. Just as it looked like the first half would end scoreless, the Koreans scored to put the Germans behind for the first time at T&T 2010. Kim Kum Jong collected the ball about 35 yards from goal and hammered a brilliant strike into the top corner.

The Germans came out battling after the break and inside the first minute Leupolz was firing in a shot. Unfortunately for her it flew right into the torso of the Korean net-minder. Lotzen tried her luck after racing clear in the 58th minute, but she couldn’t generate any power on her shot, which Choe Kyong Im gathered with ease. Then, in the 62nd minute, striker Lena Petermann spurned the chance of the game when she hit wide from three yards out on the end of a corner kick that somehow worked its way through the goalmouth.

The European giants continued to press as the game wore on, but they were unable to break down a supremely disciplined DPR backline. They were being restricted to half-chances and frustration began to mount around the 70-minute mark. In the end, the team that scored 22 goals in their three group matches lost their composure and were unable to find a way past the Korean defensive wall. The East Asians will now move on to play the winner of the Japan versus Republic of Ireland quarter-final in Arima on Friday.


Koreans edge Marabella goal-feast Email my friend Share

<##IMAGE##>Korea Republic became the first team at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago to book their place in the semi-finals, beating Nigeria 6-5 after extra time in an enthralling encounter that saw Yeo Min Ji score four goals and move to the top of the tournament scoring charts. The Koreans now move on to the meet the winner of the clash between Spain and Brazil in the last four.

The Koreans had a nightmare start to the affair, conceding twice in the space of the first three minutes. The first came when a looping corner-kick fell to Loveth Ayila, who made no mistake in poking the ball toward the far post with the outside of her right boot. Shin Damyeong tried clear off the line but the ball flew into the roof of the net off her boot with only two minutes gone.

Hardly had the Nigerian celebrations ended than the Koreans were again picking the ball out their own net. This time, a fine through pass from Ngozi Okobi on the right side was collected by Winifred Eyebhoria and the Ibom Stars ace slotted home a cool finish to the back post. It looked like a rout was on the cards at the Manny Ramjohn, but the Asians slowly began to haul themselves back into the contest, looking especially dangerous on the break with the lively Yeo Min Ji as dangerous as ever. In the 6th minute she had the Koreans’ first shot, but it lacked the power to trouble Amina Abu. She got it right on the quarter-hour mark, however, laying on a fine low cross for Lee Geum Min to tap home from six yards out.

Yeo Min Ji then levelled the scores seven minutes later, sliding home her fourth goal of these finals from close range. She raced in unmarked to get on the end of the long cross from the left as the Nigerians’ early lead and dominance evaporated in the warm air. With 33 minutes gone Ayila nearly managed to get Nigeria back in front after a spell where they looked decidedly second-best, but her shot from the corner of the box grazed Kim Minah’s crossbar. Okobi did manage to make it 3-2 for the Flamingoes seven minutes from the interval, poking home after some confusion in the Korean rearguard.

The Koreans managed to get themselves back on level terms when Geum Min was felled on her way to goal. The Greek referee did not hesitate in pointing to the spot, despite Nigerian protestations that the foul took place outside of the area. Yeo Min Ji duly slammed home from the spot in the 70th minute for her second of the match. The scorer must have then thought she’d won the game when she chased a long ball from midfield, rounded the flailing Abu and slammed home with only seconds to go. But the Nigerians, never out of it, drew the scores level 4-4 in stoppage time and forced extra time when Okobi grabbed her second of the game after Kim Minah uncharacteristically spilled the ball in the penalty area.

Kim Areum got on the end of a long ball from midfield from Jang Selgi and poked underneath the advancing Abu four minutes into the first period of extra time. Yeo Min Ji then followed up shortly after with a firm header from a corner-kick to bag her fourth goal of the match. The Nigerians made it 6-5 after 13 minutes when Ayila poked home her second of the match at the near post. It was too little too late though, as the Asians will now take on the winner of the quarter-final between Spain and Brazil in Couva on Friday, while the West Africans head for home.