Korea DPR lead Group B after a 1-0 win over South American champions Brazil while New Zealand ran European powerhouse Sweden close in a 2-1 defeat and currently sit third in the standings.
New Zealand, the lowest ranked of the four sides in Group B, still have their eye on the quarterfinals but need wins in their last two matches to guarantee themselves a place. A win and a draw may be good enough but only if other results go their way.
The Koreans started the tournament as group favourites, having made the final of the last two FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups and emerging as champions on their debut in 2006.
With the current Korean U-20 side made up primarily of graduates from the 2008 World Champion U-17 team, New Zealand coach Tony Readings knows that his Junior Football Ferns will need to produce their best to get the result that would keep their hopes alive.
“Korea are always going to be a tough team,” he says.
“We knew every game in this group was going to be tough. Sweden was a big, strong and physical side and North Korea will be similar in a way, really physical right across the pitch.
“We’d done a lot of preparation on them before we even left New Zealand and what they showed in their opening win over Brazil was nothing different to what we expected. So we’re hoping the homework we’ve done and the work we’ll do in the lead up will give us the best possible chance.”
Matches on day two of the tournament saw title holders USA held to a 1-1 draw by Ghana in Dresden, allowing Korea Republic to take the lead in Group D with a resounding 4-0 win over Switzerland.
In Group C, Japan fought back from a two-goal deficit to claim a late and dramatic 3-3 draw against Mexico in Augsburg while England and Nigeria also shared the points with a 1-1 draw.
New Zealand’s match against Korea DPR kicks off at 4am on Saturday morning New Zealand time with coverage on Sky Sport 1 from 3.45am.
FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Germany 2010
Group B: New Zealand v Korea DPR
Bielefeld
July 16 6pm local (4am July 17 NZT)
Live on Sky Sport 1
New Zealand (from): 1-Victoria ESSON (GK), 2-Elizabeth MILNE, 3-Anna GREEN (Captain), 4-Chelsey WOOD, 5-Briony FISHER, 6-Bridgette ARMSTRONG, 7-Hannah WILKINSON, 8-Betsy HASSETT, 9-Hannah WALL, 10-Annalie LONGO, 11-Rosie WHITE, 12-Claudia CRASBORN, 13-Nadia PEARL, 14-Renee LEOTA, 15-Emily COOPER, 16-Julia LYNDS (GK), 17-Sarah MCLAUGHLIN, 18-Lauren MATHIS, 19-Terri-Amber CARLSON, 20-Erin NAYLER (GK), 21-Lisa KEMP.
Coach: Tony Readings
Korea DPR (from): 1-HONG Myong Hui (GK), 2-HYON Un Hui, 3-JO Myong Hui, 4-YUN Song Mi, 5-WON Un Ha, 6-RYO Song Mi, 7-CHOE Un Ju, 8-KIM Un Hyang, 9-CHA Ok, 10-CHOE Mi Gyong, 11-KIM Myong Gum, 12-KIM Un Ju, 13-KIM Chung Sim, 14-YUN Hyon Hi, 15-HO Un Byol, 16-KANG Un Gyong, 17-JON Myong Hwa, 18-THAK Un Mi (GK), 19-JON Hong Yon, 20-SIN Sol Ryon, 21-RI Jin Sim (GK).
Coach: CHOE Kwang Sok
Schedule
New Zealand v Korea DPR
Bielefeld
July 16 6pm local (4am July 17 NZT)
Live on Sky Sport 1 from 3.45am
Highlights on Game On, TV One from 1pm
New Zealand v Brazil
Dresden
July 20 2.30pm local (12.30am July 21 NZT)
Live on TV One from 12am
Delayed on Sky Sport 1 at 1.30am
Story courtesy of NZF Media.
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