South Korea slip up against Colombia in World Cup opener

South Korea’s hopes of making a winning start to their FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 campaign were crushed in nine frustrating first-half minutes at Sydney Football Stadium as Colin Bell’s side slipped to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Colombia on Tuesday.

Catalina Usme’s 30th minute penalty and a solo goal by Linda Caicedo – inadvertently assisted by Korean goalkeeper Yoon Young-geul – nine minutes later gave the Colombians a winning start to life in Group H.

The result leaves the Koreans, who made 16-year-old Casey Phair the youngest player ever at the FIFA Women’s World Cup when she was introduced in the 78th minute, with a huge task to qualify for the next phase of the competition.

Bell’s team take on debutants Morocco in Adelaide on Sunday before facing off against former champions Germany on August 3 and the Taegeuk Ladies will realistically need wins in both games to have a genuine chance of advancing.

It was a disappointing outcome for a Korean side that had made the early running, not allowing the Colombia defence to settle as they moved the ball comfortably and neatly from defence into attack.

Cho So-hyun saw her early effort deflected wide for a corner after telling build-up play down the right from Son Hwa-yeon and Lee Geum-min, while Choe Yu-ri found space in the penalty area to strike first time, only for her under-hit effort to roll into the goalkeeper’s arms.

Ji So-yun then found the hands of Catalina Perez with a free kick after Manuela Vanegas had been booked for a high challenge on Son, but the tide was starting to turn in Colombia’s favour as Nelson Abadia’s team threatened on several occasions to break through the middle.

A robust approach from captain Kim Hye-ri and Ji resulted in the Koreans giving away a series of free kicks inside their own territory as the Colombians grew into the game, and in the 30th minute the South Americans took the lead.

Vanegas’ low drive crashed into Shim Seo-yeon’s right arm and referee Rebecca Welch pointed to the spot, allowing Usme to score when she sent Yoon Young-geul the wrong way as she rolled the ball home.

There was worse to come for the Koreans nine minutes later, with Yoon at fault as Bell’s side fell further behind. 

The goalkeeper’s clearance was picked up inside the Korean half by Linda Caicedo, the winger powering past Kim Hye-ri before cutting inside and hitting a shot that should have been routinely saved. Miss-reading the flight of the shot, Yoon flapped limply and the ball looped over her head into the goal.

Lee Geum-min looked set to give the Koreans a glimmer of hope deep into first half injury time as she set herself up to head Choe Yu-ri’s flighted cut-back from the byline, but Perez threw her body across the face of goal to keep out the downward header.

Bell’s side made little headway after the interval, the Colombians sitting deeper to repel Korea’s increasingly desperate efforts to find a way back into the game as time ticked down.

That left the defence exposed and Colombia went close to claiming a third 17 minutes into the second half when Mayra Ramirez headed goalward, the ball bouncing narrowly wide to the relief of Yoon and her team mates.

Phair was introduced off the bench in the 78th minute for Choe Yu-ri, but could do little to turn the tide in her team’s favour and the Koreans now face a monumental task to turn their campaign around.

THINGS WE LEARNED

Chances have to be taken at World Cup level: The Koreans made a strong start to the game and, with the Colombians yet to settle, Colin Bell’s side created several opportunities to open the scoring. That those were squandered was to prove detrimental to the team, not only in their hopes of success against the South Americans but their chances of progressing beyond the group phase.

Individual errors are costly: Both goals the Koreans conceded came from individual errors, and while there was little Shim Seo-yeon could do about the penalty she conceded to gift Colombia their opener, Yoon Young-geul’s goalkeeping made matters easier than desired for the South Americans. She committed herself early on Catalina Usme’s spot-kick and then made an awful error for Linda Caicedo to double the lead.

Casey Phair is the future: The hyped 16-year-old made it off the bench for the Koreans in the 78th minute, replacing Choe Yu-ri to become the youngest player ever at a FIFA Women’s World Cup. While she had little direct impact as Korea slid to defeat, the striker was not overawed by the occasion and was involved in several physical battles during her time on the pitch.

WHAT THEY SAID

Colin Bell (Coach)

“I’m very disappointed about the result, and also about our performance.

“I think the girls are capable of playing much better. I don’t think, in various moments, we showed what we can do or at moments we were just too slow in our thinking, our decision making.

“The girls, I know they can do better. So now we have to reflect on getting the right balance for the next match.”

WHAT COMES NEXT

South Korea now travel to Adelaide, where they will take on tournament debutants Morocco needing win at Hindmarsh Stadium on Sunday to ensure they go into their final group game against Germany with a chance of progressing.

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