After a historic exhibition in U17 Women’s World Cup, Colombia yielded 1-0 to Spain in the final played on Sunday in Navi Mumbai, India. After a tie game that seemed destined for penalties, in the 82nd minute there was an unfortunate play in which the team Anna Maria Guzman He put the ball into his own goal from the ground after a failed shot by the Spaniards Laia Martret.

Despite the defeat in the decisive match, young coffee farmers have marked a milestone for their country by becoming the first national team in any category to reach the last resort at the FIFA World Cup.

“This splits the story in two. It is a very noteworthy second place for us. I am proud of my players, we have given everything and there is nothing to blame them,” said the Colombia manager after the game. Carlos Paniagua.

During the match at the DY Patil stadium, which was the repetition of the debut for both teams of the tournament and which also dominated Spain with the same score, the red controlled ball possession with the technique of his players, but Colombia also had its chances with the contribution of his great figure Linda Caycedo.

The 17-year-old completed in India a dazzling period of 114 days, from 8 July in which she played the Copa América, in which she was second and best player of the tournament; the Under 20 World Cup, in which they reached the quarter-finals; and this U17 World Cup, where she scored four goals and she finished top scorer, along with the Japanese Momoko Tanikawa.

Caicedo received the Silver Ball as the second best player in the competition.“There is a good team and great players. It is not achieved collectively but we have achieved a great result”Caicedo said.

At the beginning of the second half Spain saw how, after the intervention of the VAR, a goal was canceled by a hand ball by Cristina Librán before a good intervention by the Colombian goalkeeper Luisa Agudelo.

“We came for the title, but unfortunately it didn’t happen. We gave our all and left our hearts on the pitch for the country,” he said. sharpen itwho had been Colombia’s heroine on penalties against Nigeria in the semifinals.

Spain’s Vicky López, who scored two comeback goals against Japan in the quarter-finals, was named the best player of the tournament.

“We had already played the first match against them, but this, being a final, was different. We always believed in it and, even if a goal was disallowed, we kept looking for it until we got it,” he said. the Barcelona midfielder.

controversial awards

Following a statement by the president of the Colombian Football Association, Ramón Jesurún, in which he stressed that “the prizes are awarded to professional footballers, they are amateur girls”, a popular protest erupted in the country for the recognition of the historic performance of the women’s team. U17.

Following the qualification of the same manager, one of the main sponsors of the federation has announced that it will provide an economic incentive to the players, as has the Ministry of Sport, even if the exact figures of the prizes have not been confirmed.