Sydney: Teenager Linda Caicedo scored on her FIFA Women’s World Cup debut on Tuesday as Colombia earned a pivotal 2-0 win over South Korea, here.
In sunny conditions, 18-year-old phenom Caicedo lived up to the hype when she bagged Colombia’s second goal late in the first half.
After breaking down the left, Caicedo cut back inside and fired outside the box, as goalkeeper Yoon Young-geul botched a save above her head and the ball fell over the line.
It was an especially heartwarming moment for Caicedo, who had survived ovarian cancer at the age of 15, a Xinhua report said.
Becoming the first teenager to score at this year’s tournament, Caicedo doubled Colombia’s lead after Catalina Usme had converted a penalty in the 30th minute.
South Korea were outplayed for most of the first half, unable to penetrate a dogged Colombia defence. Their best chance came in stoppage time when Lee Geum-min’s header was denied by a diving save from Colombia goalkeeper Catalina Perez.
Struggling to muster clear-cut chances in the second half, South Korea coach Colin Bell inserted 16-year-old United States-born attacker Casey Phair in the 78th minute. She became the youngest player at a men’s or women’s World Cup, but was unable to produce any heroics.
Colombia joined world No. 2 Germany with three points in Group H.
–IANS