Brazil will play against Japan its first semifinal in a U-20 women’s World Cup in 16 years, a historic event in search of a championship that vindicates the advancement of women’s football in Pelé’s country and the five men’s World Cups.
“Do you want to play? Brazil is going to teach you”, the Brazilian players sang euphorically at the National Stadium, in San José, after eliminating Colombia in the quarterfinals of the World Cup being played in Costa Rica.
Now, the Canarinha will face Japan, current world champion, in the semifinals. This duel, to be held this Thursday, will be their last obstacle in trying to reach a World Cup final in this category for the first time.
Brazil has been to all 10 editions of the U20 Women’s World Cup, but hasn’t reached the semifinals since 2006, when they finished third at the World Cup in Russia, their best ranking in this competition.
– Long time without options –
The South American team also reached fourth place twice, in a tournament where Germany and the United States have three titles each, followed by North Korea with two and Japan with one.
“It has been a long time since Brazil got past the first round and reached the semi-finals. I have no words to describe the joy of putting Brazil in its rightful place,” Corinthians defender Tarciane Dos Santos, who scored the goal that qualified the Brazilians, told FIFA.
To date, the women’s senior team achieved a world runner-up in China-2007 and a third place in the United States-1999.
Its minor version, the U20, although it sweeps South America with the conquest of the nine editions of the South American Championship, has not yet played a World Cup final. In Costa Rica they have reached the semi-finals undefeated in the tournament and with 990 minutes in a row without conceding a goal.
