2023 FIFA U-17 WC: Germany beat France 4-3 on penalties to lift Cup
Surakarta, Indonesia (PANA) - Germany have lifted the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time following a dramatic penalty shootout victory over France in Surakarta.
Goals from Paris Brunner and Noah Darvich gave the Germans a 2-0 lead, but a quick-fire goal by Saimon Bouabre and a red card for Winners Osawe shifted the momentum in France's favour, with Mathis Amougou later turning home an 85th-minute equaliser.
Germany would ultimately prevail, though, following a topsy-turvy 4-3 shootout win.
The European champions started the game in lightning-quick fashion and thought they had opened the scoring early on when Brunner rifled home from close-range, but the goal was ruled out by the assistant for an offside in the build-up.
Brunner wouldn't be denied for long, however. After some penalty-box pinball, Bilal Yalcinkaya nipped in front of Aymen Sadi whose outstretched leg brought down the forward. Following an on-field review, referee Espen Eskas awarded a spot-kick which Brunner confidently stroked home in the 29th minute.
Germany didn't let up and would double their lead just after 51 minutes. Max Moerstedt broke down the right and played a teasing ball looking for Brunner, and while it didn't reach its intended target, captain Darvich followed up to turn the ball home from a tight angle.
That goal seemingly sparked France into life and they found a route back into the game almost immediately. Bouabre skipped past a German challenge down the left and arrowed a terrific strike into the bottom corner in the 53rd minute to halve the arrears.
The momentum shift became all the more evident soon after, as Osawe was sent off for a second booking following a late challenge on Ismail Bouneb in the 69th minute.
France kept pushing and would eventually be rewarded five minutes from time. Tidiam Gomis broke away down the right after a nice one-two and laid the ball across for Amougou to turn home from close-range and send the game to a shootout.
Konstantin Heide would come up trumps once again for Germany, though, as the goalkeeper saved two France penalties, allowing Almugera Kabar to confidently dispatch the winning spot-kick.
Germany have become the first European nation to win the continental and world titles in the same year.
-0- PANA MA 2Dec2023
