On the fourth day of matches at the 2024 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, both of the marquee match-ups, Brazil versus Japan and England versus Mexico, featured comeback victories.
In Group D’s Brazil-Japan match, a sluggish looking Japan defense gave up an early goal, but two second-half goals, including an equalizer from UCLA-bound Momo Saruang Ueki Sato, means that Japan now only needs a draw in their final group stage match against eliminated Zambia, who fell nil-2 to Poland.
Mexico’s hopes of staying alive were dashed by two late goals conceded against ten-player England. The Young Lionesses played the final 40 minutes of the match, included 12 minutes of added time, down a player yet scored three goals in that time.
For Group C, both England and Korea DPR, who defeated Kenya 3-nil, now know that they have secured a spot in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Mexico and Kenya are eliminated.
In Group D, only Zambia is out of the running for the quarterfinals, while none of the other three teams — Poland, Japan, and Brazil — have locked up a spot in the knockout stage.
Match Highlights
Korea DPR 3, Kenya 0
Korea DPR goals: So Ryu Gyong (8′, 11′), Ri Kuk Hyang (86′)
Additional Links: FIFA Match Page, FIFA Highlights
Japan 2, Brazil 1
Japan goals: Momo Saruang Ueki Sato (49′), Asaka Furuta (53′)
Brazil goal: Juju (8′)
Sato is a dual national with Palau and Japanese parents. She is a verbal commit for UCLA (islandtimes.org).
Both Japan and Brazil had potential equalizers negated by video support reviews.
Additional Links: FIFA Match Page, FIFA Highlights
England 4, Mexico 2
England goals: Zara Shaw (11′), Nelly Las (61′), Rachel Maltby (88′), Olivia Johnson (90’+11)
Mexico goals: Ana Salas (17′), Alexa Soto (50′ PK)
England red card: Omotara Junaid (57′)
This match was a roller coaster, with football video support reviews playing a featured role:
- In the 7th minute, England goalkeeper, Eva Spencer, blocked a Mexico free kick with her hands, but the ball rebounded over her head. Spencer caught the ball on the goal line. The assistant referee thought that the ball had crossed the line and after a slight delay, the center referee pointed to the center circle, implying a goal. England successfully challenged the call as the end-line camera (though not apparently directly parallel) had a clear view.
- Less than two minutes after the restart following the video review, England scored their opening goal on a corner kick.
- Mexico equalized about five minutes off of a long free kick that was headed into goal.
- Early in the second half, Mexico was given a penalty kick due to a Mexico player being taken down accidentally by an England defender. The first penalty kick effort by Alexa Soto was weak and easily saved by Spencer, but she was deemed to have been off her line. Soto converted the second attempt and Mexico had the lead, but only for about ten minutes…
- Two minutes later, a pair of England players, Omotara Junaid and Cecily Wellesley-Smith, entangled Citlalli Reyes, who collapsed to the ground in agony. Mexico requested a video review and Junaid was shown red. Junaid appeared to place her hand against Reyes’s face, and bump into Reyes. In the referee’s eyes, the bump likely constituted a serious foul play (IFAB Law 12). (Reyes was not seriously injured, but was substituted out in the 62nd minute.)
- Less than five minutes after Junaid’s exit, England equalized off of an assist provided by Indy Eleven’s Lauryn Thompson, who came on as a half-time substitute. The goal-scorer was Nelly Las, who was the same England defender that conceded Mexico’s go-ahead penalty.
- Ten-player England took the lead for good with less than three minutes left in normal time off of a shot that was unintentionally blocked by a Mexico defender but deflected into the right edge of the goal.
- Deep into added time, England doubled their advantage.
The retaken penalty kick sequence was odd for multiple reasons. The center referee did not go to the video review monitor, nor did she signal for a video review. Additionally, it appears that Mexico did not request a review. On FIFA’s event timeline for this match, the review is coded as “Video Support – Undefined” with no team listed (where the “Undefined” error should be). Also, after the first penalty kick was saved, the match continued on for a short spell before pausing the match.
Either this was an error of officiating mechanics or there has been a change in the protocols from what was used at last month’s FIFA Under-2o Women’s World Cup in Colombia. The following is from FIFA’s official document outlining the Football Video Support (FVS) Protocol for the U-20 WWC (PDF):
Final decision and restart of play
Except for factual decisions following a routine check by the fourth official after a goal has been scored or during penalties (penalty shoot-out), the referee always takes the final decision after reviewing the replay footage in the referee review area (RRA).
FIFA’s website does not have a separate version of the FVS Protocol for the U-17 WWC on its website (FIFA Reports & Documents, which can be filtered for “Matches & Tournaments”).
Under the Football Video Support Protocol, there are situations where the fourth official acts as the de facto video assistant referee, but those situations are only “after a goal has been scored” and “during penalties (penalty shoot-out)”.
Additional Links: FIFA Match Page, FIFA Highlights
Zambia 0, Poland 2
Poland goals: Kinga Wyrwas (7′), Weronika Arasniewicz (46′)
Poland’s second goal was scored less than ten seconds after the second-half kick-off.
Additional Links: FIFA Match Page, FIFA Highlights
Group Standings
Only the top two teams advance from each group.
Group C
Standings:
- Korea DPR: 6 points, +6 goal difference, 7 goals scored
- England: 6 points, +4 goal difference, 6 goals scored
- Mexico: no points, -5 goal difference, 3 goals scored
- Kenya: no points, -5 goal difference, no goals scored
Final Matches: England vs. Korea DPR, Mexico vs. Kenya
Advancement Scenarios Summary:
- Both Korea DPR and England have secured advancement.
- Mexico and Kenya are each eliminated.
- Only the positioning for Korea DPR and England are left to be determined.
Group D
Standings:
- Poland: 4 points, +2 goal difference, 2 goals scored
- Japan: 4 points, +1 goal difference, 2 goals scored
- Brazil: 3 points, 0 goal difference, 2 goals scored
- Zambia: 0 points, -3 goal difference, no goals scored
Final Matches: Zambia vs. Japan; Poland vs. Brazil
Advancement Scenarios Summary:
- Zambia is eliminated as it cannot surpass the point totals of both Poland and Japan.
- Poland and Japan each needs at least a draw to guarantee advancement.
- Japan would advance with a loss if Poland defeats Brazil.
- Japan could advance with a loss if Brazil defeats Poland and Japan has the goal difference advantage.
- Likewise, Poland could advance with a loss if Zambia upsets Japan and Poland has the goal difference advantage.
- Absent Zambia upsetting Japan, only one of Poland or Brazil will advance.
- Brazil would advance with a win.
- Brazil could advance with a draw, but only if Zambia defeats Japan by either 2+ goals or by just one goal and Brazil has the advantage in goals scored. If tied on both goal difference and goals scored, Japan has the head-to-head advantage over Brazil.
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