Spain hail Korea DPR: They don’t let you breathe

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Dominican Republic 2024™ is now in the books and it will long be remembered for the impressive performance put forth by Korea DPR from start to finish, with a mere two goals allowed in their six matches.

The now three-time winners started the tournament with a bang, defeating Mexico 4-1 in the group stage and they never looked back, winning the next two matches in Group C with clean sheet victories, followed by a pair of 1-0 wins over Poland and USA respectively in the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
The final with Spain made for Korea DPR’s toughest challenge, as they faced their first deficit at Dominican Republic 2024 after Celia Segura’s opener just after the hour mark.

But the resiliency of the Asian heavyweights came to the fore, and in the decider Spain experienced first-hand what made Korea DPR the toughest team of all in the Caribbean.

“They’re a very intense team,” said Spain midfielder Irune Dorado to FIFA. “They don’t let you breathe, and playing like that for 90 minutes is tough. That’s their strength.”

Dorado’s sentiments were echoed by her team-mates, who found there was no letup from the unwavering pressure exerted by Korea DPR at the Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo.

“They’re very intense; their game plan worked well,” said Segura. “They came at us with intensity, and it worked for them.”

Not only was the intensity of Korea DPR on display throughout the final, but their speed and quickness was noticeable as the match entered the final quarter-hour. Across the board, the Korea DPR front line was placing pressure on the Spanish defence, while the commitment to recover and help in the back was upheld.

In the end, the Spanish players could only tip their cap to their final opponents, acknowledging the physical and mental strength it takes to try to match that kind of football for 90 minutes.

“They are a very strong opponent, a very competitive team, and they have shown that throughout the tournament,” said midfielder Emma Moreno. “They fight hard, play with great intensity, are very fast, and it’s challenging to match that level of intensity”.