Women’s soccer draws 0-0 with North Korea in Paris Olympics qualifier… ‘top spot’ in group up for grabs

The South Korean women’s soccer team held North Korea scoreless to earn a point. With a win against China, the team will finish top of the group and still have a chance to advance to the quarterfinals.

The South Korean women’s national soccer team, led by head coach Colleen Bell, played to a 0-0 draw against North Korea in the second match of Group B at the Paris 2024 Olympic Women’s Football Qualification on Monday at Xiamen Gret Stadium in China.

The Paris Olympic Games Asia Second Qualifying Round is divided into three groups of four teams, with the winner of each group and the best-placed team from the second group meeting in the quarterfinals. The winners of the two best-of-four matches will advance to the Olympic Games.

South Korea won their second game against Thailand, a 10-1 blowout. Casey and Chun Garam scored hat tricks to lead the way. North Korea put on a solid performance against host China. Goal difference puts them in second place, below South Korea. The draw keeps North Korea and South Korea tied atop the standings, with South Korea retaining the top spot.

In the other groups, powerhouse Japan was drawn with underdogs Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and India, while Australia was drawn with the Philippines, Iran, and Chinese Taipei, meaning the favorites to make the top four are already in the driver’s seat. South Korea, on the other hand, was drawn with China, a powerhouse, and North Korea, one of the strongest teams in the tournament, so it’s hard to see them advancing to the top of the group.

With that in mind, it was crucial for the Velho to pick up at least a point against North Korea after their win over Thailand in order to advance. South Korea’s women’s soccer team is heavily favored against North Korea in the all-time series, with one win, three draws, and 16 losses. However, it was also a chance for South Korea to avenge its last loss at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, where it fell to North Korea 1-4 in the women’s soccer quarterfinals on March 30. While the Koreans were unable to avenge their loss, they were able to take a point against the powerhouse North Koreans and improve their chances of advancing to the quarterfinals.

South Korea was led by Kim Jung-mi in goal, with Choo Hyo-joo, Shim Seo-yeon, Lee Young-joo, Kim Hye-ri, and Lee Eun-young in the defense and Jang Seul-ki, Ji So-yeon, and Jeon Eun-ha in the midfield. Up front, Casey Eugene and Chun Ga-ram were the front line.

For North Korea, Ri Yong Geum started in goal. Ri Myong-geum, Ri Geum-hyang, Ri Jong-geum, and Ri Hye-kyong were in the back four. In the midfield, Myong Yoo-jung, Choi Geum-ok, Ri Hak, and Hong Seong-ok combined, while Kim Young-yong and Seung Hyang-sim were the front two.

North Korea pushed South Korea hard from the start of the first half. In the fifth minute, Ri Myong-gyong sent in a cross that Kim Yong-yong finished with a right-footed shot that was blocked by the defense. North Korea continued to attack the South Korean goal, with Hong Sung Ok and Ri Jong Kum delivering balls inside the penalty box.

South Korea’s chances came after the midway point of the first half. In the 36th minute, Jang Seul-ki and Jeon Eun-ha played a 2-on-1 inside the penalty box, but Jang Seul-ki’s final shot was blocked by the defense and hit the side netting.

In the 42nd minute, Chun Ga-ram had a chance on a solo breakaway. Chun cut in from the left side of the penalty box to the center of the box, but the North Korean defense blocked her shot and fouled her, earning her a free kick. Ji So-yeon stepped up to take the kick, but her shot was blocked by the defense, and Chu Hyo-joo tried to finish it off with a cross, but her shot was blocked by the defense.

North Korea also threatened in the final minutes of the first half. In first-half stoppage time, Seung Hyang-sim collected a bouncing ball on the right side of the penalty box after a cross and tried to play it into the center of the box. If it found Ri Hak in the center, it would have been a threat, but Shim Seo-yeon made a tackle to block it. The first half ended 0-0.

Korea seized the offensive reins early in the second half. In the second minute of the second half, Lee Eun-young combined with Jang Seul-ki to get to the right side of the penalty box, and her cross flew in threateningly, but was caught by Lee Ju-geum.

North Korea also tried to score on the counterattack. In the fifth minute of the second half, Chun Garam’s attacking attempt was intercepted in front of the North Korean penalty box, and Lee Hye-kyung and Ri Hak combined to reach the front of the South Korean penalty box. North Korea slowly took control of the offense from there, with Kim Yong-young attempting a low, quick mid-range shot that Kim Jung-mi steadily blocked.

South Korea made a change in the attacking third in the seventh minute of the second half, bringing on Son Hwa-yeon for Casey.

Kim Jung-mi made a good save. In the 11th minute of the second half, Kim Yong-young got a chance to shoot from the front of the penalty box arc, and Kim saved her immediate attempt from mid-range.

South Korea fought back. In the 17th minute of the second half, Ji So-yeon and Lee Eun-young linked up on the right side of the North Korean penalty box. After the throw-in, Lee Eun-young broke through and sent a cross that was unfortunately caught by Lee Hye-kyung.

The North Korean attack was stopped by the physical defense of the South Korean defense. In the 22nd minute of the second half, on a counterattack, Shim Seo-yeon was the first to break up Kim Yong-young’s breakthrough. Lee Young-joo then intercepted a North Korean pass into the penalty box.

South Korea even made a substitution in the 24th minute of the second half, removing Jeon Eun-ha and Chun Garam and introducing Lee Kum-min and Kang Chae-rim in an attempt to open up a path for a late goal. North Korea also removed Ri Hak and introduced Joo Hyo-sim to add strength in the midfield.

Substitute Lee Geum-min tried to create chances through direct breakthroughs. In the 29th minute, Lee beat two North Korean defenders to get to the front of the penalty box arc, but at the last second, he was tackled by a defender from behind. In the 35th minute, Son Hwa-yeon got on the end of a cross from Lee Eun-young inside the penalty box and attempted to shoot, but her shot was immediately blocked by Ri Hye-kyung.

North Korea continued to pound the South Korean goal with crosses and mid-range shots. In the 36th minute, Joo Hyo-sim’s cross was sent into the box, but Lee Young-joo cleared it away, and the rebounded ball was finished by Lee Jong-geum with a mid-range shot that was caught by Kim Jung-mi. The match ended 0-0 with neither team scoring until the final minutes of the second half.토스카지노 주소

Meanwhile, South Korea will play China on Nov. 1 in the third match of the second qualifying round after the draw against North Korea. South Korea leads the all-time series against China in women’s soccer A matches with five wins, seven draws and 29 points, including no wins in the last nine matches (three draws and six losses). With a draw against North Korea, the team can still qualify for the quarterfinals by topping their group with a win against China.