China’s U17 women’s soccer team achieved a historic milestone by advancing to the quarterfinals of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup for the first time after defeating France 4-3 in a penalty shootout. The match, held in Rabat, ended in a goalless draw, leading to the decisive penalty kicks.
Goalkeeper Niu Ziqi played a crucial role in the victory by saving two penalty attempts from the French side. Niu’s performance was pivotal in securing China’s advancement to the last eight of the tournament. The teams battled through regular time without finding the net, despite numerous attacking opportunities. France led the offensive in the first half but failed to capitalize on their chances, while China showed improvement in the second half following tactical adjustments by coach Ma Xiaoxu.
During the penalty shootout, China’s Liu Yuxi and Liu Yuke successfully converted their initial attempts, and Niu Ziqi saved a shot from France’s Lea Motyka. With the score level at 2-2, Yang Lan and Cheng Wandi scored their penalties, and Niu made another crucial save against Lisa Mabilon, sealing China’s 4-3 triumph.
China entered the knockout stage with strong momentum, having topped Group E with three consecutive victories. The team defeated Kenya 3-0, Samoa 7-0, and the United States 3-2 to secure their group lead. Their next challenge will be against Brazil in the quarterfinals on November 1. Brazil advanced to the last eight after a nail-biting 8-7 penalty shootout win over Poland, following a 3-3 draw in regular time.