▲ National team players celebrate securing their advancement to the Round of 16 at the U-20 Women's World Cup.
South Korea, previously facing the threat of elimination, dramatically secured a spot in the Round of 16 by defeating Ecuador in their final group stage match of the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) U-20 Women's World Cup.
Led by head coach Park Yoon-jung, the South Korean U-20 women's national football team won 3-2 against Ecuador in their third and final Group C match of the tournament held at the Stadion Widzewa in Łódź, Poland, on the 13th (KST).
Having fallen to the bottom of the group after a 1-1 draw against France in their first group match and a 1-3 loss to Ghana in the second, Park Yoon-jung's squad defeated final opponent Ecuador to finish with 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss (3 points). They climbed to second place in the group behind France (2 wins, 1 draw, 7 points), which soundly defeated Ghana 4-0 on the same day, thus claiming their ticket to the Round of 16.
Ecuador and Ghana both finished with 1 win and 2 losses (3 points), dropping to third and fourth places respectively based on goal difference.
In this tournament, 24 countries are divided into six groups for the group stage, after which the top two teams from each group and the four best third-place teams advance to the Round of 16 to compete for the championship in a knockout format.
South Korea enjoyed the joy of advancing to the Round of 16 for the second consecutive tournament, following the 2024 Colombia tournament where the number of participating teams was first expanded from 16 to 24.
Park Yoon-jung's squad will play their Round of 16 match against Argentina—whose best-ever tournament finish is the Round of 16 in 2024—at the ArcelorMittal Park in Sosnowiec at 10:00 PM on the 16th (KST) to compete for a spot in the quarterfinals.
The best-ever finish for the South Korean women's U-20 national team is third place at the 2010 Germany tournament.
South Korea gained the early initiative by scoring the opening goal in the 22nd minute of the first half.
Han Min-seo intercepted a ball in midfield and sent it forward to Lee Ha-eun (W덕 University), who received it on the left side of the penalty area and finished with her left foot.
Ending the first half with a 1-0 lead, South Korea experienced a brief setback in the 12th minute of the second half when Ecuador's Dariana Moran scored an equalizing goal.
Head coach Park Yoon-jung made multiple changes to her forward line in the 23rd minute of the second half.
South Korea took the lead again in the 27th minute of the second half when substitute Park Joo-ha (Daekyeung University) struck an additional goal with a left-footed shot from the center of the penalty area.
Gaining momentum, South Korea secured the victory in the 29th minute of the second half when Kim Min-seo, also brought on as a substitute, intercepted the ball in the opponent's midfield, dribbled past the opposing last defender, and scored with a right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area.
South Korea faced a brief crisis in stoppage time of the second half when Evelyn Burgos of Ecuador scored a goal to narrow the deficit.
However, Ecuador self-destructed near the end of second-half stoppage time when Fiorella Pico was sent off due to accumulated yellow cards while trying to block Park Joo-ha, and Park Yoon-jung's squad completed a 3-2 victory.
(Photo provided by the Korea Football Association, Yonhap News)
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