Writing a preview on the Finals of the 2025 world U17 women’s football competition between defending Champions, North Korea and the Orange Girls of Netherland looks so simple that one would almost tell FIFA give the Koreans and let us go home.
Fifty games have been played in host Country, Morocco and a total 170 goals have been scored with a total crowd attendance of 66,160 fans. The most interesting thing is that the two leading goal scorers pursuing one Golden Boot are from North Korea. Yu Jong-hyang leads with 8 goals while her team mate, Kim Won-Sim follows with 6 goals and only God knows how the two players with precisive and clinical shots at goal will play against Netherlands.
Guila Gali and Noa Fukushima of Japan have 5 goals each but no player of the Flamingoes of Nigeria scored 2 goals at the tournament.
There were a whopping 9 own goals scored. North Korea specialists in making unforced errors had Imene Diyen of Morocco and Maren Groothoff of Netherland gifted them with own goals; Canada got two gifts from Oceane Tranchant of France and Mia Afoa of Samoa but the most laughable was Zambia falling under severe pressure to commit to Paraguay.
Fabian Alfaro of Costa Rica scored for Morocco; Maite Zambrane of Ecuador scored for China and Ebba Niss of Norway gave Ecuador a goal.
Ivory Coast was worst with the cards chalking 11 points while bagging 5 yellow cards and two red card in just three matches; Netherlands is on 23rd position with 10 points deduction fro 7 yellow cards and a red in 5 matches; Costa Rica conceded 9 points deduction having 6 yellow cards and a red in 3 matches while Mexico will also have 9 points deducted from 6 yellow cards and a red all in the class of bad girls who saw red.
Three possible Fair Play Trophy winners are New Zealand that will have 1 point deducted after having a yellow card in 3 matches; South Korea also has one pointed deducted with a yellow card in 3 matches ditto debutante Samoa. Nigeria is placed 14th with 5pints off having 5 yellow cards in 4 matches.
Although North Korea and Netherlands met thrice the highest defeat of the Dutch in history at U17 was a 5-0 drubbing in the last group B games from where Yu Jong – yang got another brace scored in the 66th minute and a penalty goal scored 81st minute. It was in this match that Aline Weerelts of Netherlands got red carded but she will be available for selection in the finals on Saturday.
Cover Photo shows North Korea celebrating the 5-0 victory over the Dutch girls on 24th October 2025.
North Korea and Netherland met at Mexico 2011 in the group match playing 1-1 and both failed to qualify for the knockout stages
North Korea drew 1-1 with Spain first time at the group river bank; messed up Mexico 2-0; tamed the Junior Lioness of Cameroon 2-1 and rounded up The Orange Girls of Netherlands 5-0 before sending hosts Morocco to the stands in a crushing 6-1 victory. She pounded Japan 5-1 at the quarters before stopping the Samba music of Brazil 2-0 in the semis. She scored 23 goals and conceded 4 with 3 clean slates.
Netherlands route was more interesting 4-3 win over Cameroon; lost to Mexico 0-1; lost miserably to Korea 0-5; then the penalty drama where after 1-1 at full time she edged USA 7-6; at the quarterfinal won over France via penalty kicks again 7-6 after 2-2 at full time. She piped Mexico 1-0 in the semis. She scored 8 goals, conceded 12 goals and had only one clean sheet.
The differentials in goals scored, conceded and the clean slates shows scientifically the superiority of North Korea over Netherland by simple arithmetic. It means by interpretation that fans should expect an avalanche of goals whereby the match would not go into penalty kicks for the Dutch has a week defence against sharp shooter Koreans..
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North Korea made 5 podiums finish in the age group championship. They won the maiden completion in New Zealand in 2008; placed 4th at Trinidad and Tobago 2010 losing to Spain 0-1 in the Losers’ match; Lost in the finals at Azerbaijan 2012 6-7 on penalties after 1-1 at full time to France; won at Jordan 2016 beating Japan 5-4 on penalties after a goalless full time and at the last tournament of Dominican Republic they again won on penalties 4-3 over Spain after 1-1 at full time sending a strong signal to the Orange Girls to train harder.
This is the first podium attempt of Netherlands and they desire to cart the Gold medal.
The Losers’ match between Brazil and Mexico is at 4:30 pm while the grand finale is at 8pm both on Saturday 8th November.
Then winners of several awards will be formerly announced by the world football ruling body, FIFA.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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