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Korea’s strong execution of penalty strokes and corners has earned them a hard fought gold medal victory over hosts Argentina at the Junior Women’s World Cup.

Korea won the final 4-3 in strokes after a overcoming a 2-0 deficit earlier in the game.

Argentina held a 2-0 lead at half time in Saturday’s final at the Quilmes hockey stadium just outside Buenos Aires. But the Korean squad, led by tournament top goalscorer Yun Mi Kim, spoiled the home team’s party. Mi Ok Kim scored a penalty stroke in the 53rd minute, and Yun Mi Kim found the net with a penalty corner in the 58th minute to even the score.

It was 2-2 at full time and neither team could score the golden goal in extra time. Korea withstood the penalty stroke pressure to earn an historic victory.

The JWWC trophy was presented to a team from Asia for the first time. The closest Korea has come previously to winning the title was a silver medal in 1989, when they lost the final to Germany in Ottawa, Canada.

Argentina had reached the final with a 2-0 semi-final victory over the Netherlands. In the other semi, Korea had upset the team that many had cast as tournament favourites, Australia, 1-0 with the golden goal, again by Yun Mi Kim.

Kim, a powerful penalty corner hitter, finished the tournament with 12 goals, twice as many as her nearest challenger, Argentina’s Maria Cecilia Del Carril, who had six. Five other players finished with five goals.


TOURNAMENT DETAILS

Journalists at the tournament selected Argentine captain Marine Russo as field player of the tournament, and Argentine goalkeeper Angela Cattaneo as Goalkeeper of the tournament. Nearly all journalists were local.

Notable disappointments in the final standings were Germany and England, who finished 7th and 8th respectively, and India, who many thought deserved better than a 9th place finish.

Canada and the USA struggled through the tournament, and ended up playing off for 13th and 14th positions.

Russia, who finished at the bottom of the standings in 15th, earned more yellow cards than any other team with six. The USA was close behind with 5 temporary suspensions. No red cards were shown during the tournament.


The final tournament standings:
1. Korea
2. Argentina
3. Australia
4. Netherlands
5. New Zealand
6. South Africa
7. Germany
8. England
9. India
10. Spain
11. Wales
12. Chile
13. Canada
14. USA
15. Russia

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