By Yoon Chul
Staff Reporter
Defending champion North Korea has clinched a place in the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) U-20 Women's World Cup final after defeating France 2-1 in Temuco, Chile, Thursday.
A Ri Ye-gyong strike deep into injury time was enough to give the holders a chance to retain their title.
But it could have been a different story had France converted its superior possession in the first half into goals, with the French players maintaining 66 percent of the play.
That flow led to the game's opening goal. And it was Nora Coton Pelagie who was in the right place at the right time to fire home for France in the 51st minute.
A struggling North Korea thought it had leveled the tie in the 64th minute, only for the referee to rule out the counter out for offside.
The North Korean players weren't to be denied for long, though, and shortly afterwards a Ri Un-hyang header restored parity.
The goal teed the game up nicely for a thrilling finale. France seemed to be spurred on by having its lead taken away and rifled two shots against the crossbar in the last 10 minutes.
And it was with good fortune that North Korea found the back of the net once more to clinch the final berth in the 93rd minute.
Ri Ye-gyong got on the end of a Pak Kuk-hui cross and hit an unstoppable shot past the French goalkeeper that shook the net.
``I didn't stop trying and I never stopped hoping that we'd win. I gave everything I had out on the pitch and that's how I was able to score a marvelous goal,'' Ri Ye-gyong said on the FIFA website.
`` The France match was very important and very difficult. I still don't know how we'll prepare for the final because that'll depend on what we're up against. The United States has a lot of quality and skill. They're a team which are very well-organized, both in attack and defense. Germany, meanwhile, are very strong at the back and try to attack at speed,'' North Korea manager Choe Kwang-sok said after the game.
The U.S. team got to the final courtesy of a 1-0 win over Germany. They won the event in 2004.