Catalina Usme and Linda Caicedo scored to give Colombia a 2-0 victory over South Korea in their opening game of the Women’s World Cup at the Sydney Football Stadium on Tuesday morning, denying the Koreans what would have been only their second win in four appearances at the tournament.
The triumph over South Korea gave the ‘cafeteras’ their first joy in the seasonal competition.
The Colombians took the lead when Catalina Usme scored on a penalty kick in the 30th minute af ter a South Korean handball, sending keeper Yoon Younggeul the wrong way before slotting the ball into the far corner, Reuters reports.
Cancer survivor Linda Caicedo, scored on her debut at the FIFA Women’s World Cup to double Colombia’s lead nine minutes later, launching a high shot that Yoon got her hands on, but without the power to send it over the bar. The ball squirted into the net.
According to Stuff.co.nz, the Real Madrid forward, Linda Caicedo, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 15, fired in her country’s second goal of the match before racing toward Colombia’s fans in celebration.
The 18-year-old Caicedo, who is an inspirational figure on and off the field, further enhanced her reputation as one of soccer’s rising stars with her goal and performance as Colombia made a winning start to the tournament.
Interestly, and for the history books, 16-year-old Korea’s American-born teenager, Casey Phair, became the youngest player to take the field in Women’s World Cup history, when she went on as a second-half substitute in the 78th minute, just 26 days after her 16th birthday.
