Germany grab five, Acosta arrives and Spain survive, Nigeria strike late and Acosta dazzles.
Germany pummel Venezuela in Bogota
Spain see off USA in sweltering Cali heat
Acosta stars as Paraguay down debutants Morocco
The opening day of Group C action at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup featured three nations who have gathered seven of the ten titles contested in the tournament’s history and they put on a show in the cities of Bogota and Cali.
Germany dazzled in the capital as they plundered five in a hefty win over Venezuela while Spain were forced to work hard in baking conditions over in Cali, as they saw off USA 1-0 to start their title defence in a positive manner.
Fatima Acosta marked herself as a star of the future – if not the present – by scoring both goals as Paraguay eased past Morocco while Nigeria left it late in a narrow win over Korea Republic.
Next at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
Groups E & F | Monday 2 September
Ghana v Austria (Group E) | Estadio El Techo, Bogota
Japan v New Zealand (Group E) | Estadio El Techo, Bogota
Korea DPR v Argentina (Group F) | Estadio Pascual Guerrero, Cali
Costa Rica v Netherlands (Group F) | Estadio Pascual Guerrero, Cali
Spain 1-0 USA
Group C | Pascual Guerrero, Cali
Goals: Olaya Enrique (8)
Player of the Match: Maite Zubieta (Spain)
In front of a large crowd of mostly curious neutrals on a baking Sunday afternoon, Spain started their title defence with a 1-0 win over USA as Group C action got underway at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™.
With the mercury pushing 30 degrees in the southwest Colombian city of Cali, it took Spain’s pass-and-move masters just eight minutes to unpick USA as they wove a tapestry that ended with Lucia Corrales releasing Olaya Enrique to fire past Teagan Wy for a DNA-dripping opener.
Wy came to the rescue for her nation twice in the second half as USA had a late penalty overturned on review in a lively opener.
What they said….
“This was a really important match and it’s a good feeling for the team to start with a win. In each match we play we want to maintain our identity and want to keep the ball and we just focus on getting better day .
