Lee Geummin (red jersey) of Korea Republic battles for the ball with Mexico's Estefania Fuentes (left) and Karla Nieto (right) during their FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup match at the National Soccer Stadium on August 13, 2014, in Toronto, Canada. (Photo: FIFA via Getty Images)
TORONTO – Mexico’s dream of joining fellow CONCACAF sides Canada and the United States in the knockout stages of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup were dashed following a 2-1 loss to Korea Republic on Wednesday at the National Soccer Stadium (BMO Field).
Nigeria -- a 2-1 winner over England -- finished atop Group C with seven points, while the Koreans, who entered the final matchday at the bottom of the group with one point, grabbed the runner-up spot. England and Mexico were eliminated with two points apiece.
After seeing her team fall behind 2-0, Mexico’s Tanya Samarzich willed Mexico back into the game with a 74th minute goal. Her constant running and relentless pressure on defenders paid off with an opportunistic lob into the side netting from 12-yards out to halve the deficit.
She nearly had the tying goal five minutes later, but Korean goalkeeper Min Yukyeong parried her long distance shot over the bar.
With two minutes left in normal time, a looping header by Samarzich went wide and Mexico was unable to get the equalizer it so desperately needed.
South Korea took a deserved 1-0 lead two minutes before halftime, when Lee Geummin received a cross from the left with her chest and calmly knocked it in from eight-yards out.
Lee Sodam doubled the advantage from the penalty spot in the 65th minute, putting her attempt to the left of Mexican goalkeeper Cecilia Santiago after Clarissa Robles was ruled to have tripped Guemmin inside the box.
