Brazil's under-17 women's team closed out the World Cup in Morocco without a medal and with the heaviest defeat of their campaign. On Saturday, at the Mohammed VI Complex in Rabat, Brazil lost 6-0 to North Korea in the third-place play-off and finished the tournament in fourth — the same position they reached last year, which still stands as Brazil's best result in the competition.
Six goals, two halves
North Korea, four-time champions in this age group, settled the match early. Kim Won Sim opened the scoring in the 11th minute and Ri Ui Gyong doubled the lead in the 43rd, before the interval. After the break Brazil conceded four more: Ri Ye Rim, Ri Ui Gyong again, Yu Jong Hyang and Ri Kyong Im completed the rout, according to reports by Agência Brasil and Gazeta Esportiva.
The result sits oddly against the road Brazil had travelled to get there. They arrived in the semi-final as the tournament's most productive attacking side, and left the third-place match without a single dangerous attempt.
The campaign
In the group stage, Brazil beat Canada 6-2, drew 3-3 with Ghana and beat Norway 3-0. In the round of 16 came another 3-3 — against Poland — settled 8-7 on penalties. In the quarter-final, a 2-1 win over China. The exit came in the semi-final, a 3-1 defeat by Nigeria.
That is 15 goals scored in six matches up to the semi-final, and 15 conceded in all — nine of them in the last two games.
Nigeria champions
The final, played hours later at the same complex, gave Nigeria the first world title in their football history — and the first for an African nation in this age group. The Nigerians beat Japan 2-1, with goals from Awawu Bashiru in the 39th minute of the first half and Oluebube Umejaiku early in the second. Fuki Ito pulled one back for Japan near the end.
For Brazil, a repeated fourth place across two editions is an ambiguous result: it confirms that the Brazilian women's youth set-up is a permanent fixture among the world's best four, while leaving the title count in this category untouched at zero since the tournament was created.
With information from Agência Brasil, Gazeta Esportiva, Metrópoles and Pulse Nigeria.
