China advanced 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, concluded in a goalless draw before being decided from the spot.
Goalkeeper Niu Ziqi played a pivotal role in China’s victory, saving two penalties to ensure her team’s progression to the last eight. Despite numerous attacking efforts, both teams were unable to score during regular time. France maintained dominance in the first half but couldn’t capitalize on their opportunities. China, on the other hand, showed improvement in the second half following tactical adjustments by coach Ma Xiaoxu, yet neither side could break the deadlock.
The penalty shootout saw Liu Yuxi and Liu Yuke successfully converting China’s initial attempts, while Niu Ziqi saved a crucial shot from France’s Lea Motyka. As the score stood at 2-2, Yang Lan and Cheng Wandi netted their penalties, with Niu making another decisive save against Lisa Mabilon to clinch the 4-3 win.
China’s journey to the knockout stage was marked by an impressive performance in Group E, where they topped the standings with three consecutive wins. They secured victories against Kenya (3-0), Samoa (7-0), and the United States (3-2) to finish first in the group.
Looking ahead, China is set to face Brazil in the quarterfinals on November 1. Brazil advanced after a dramatic 8-7 penalty shootout victory over Poland, following a 3-3 draw in their respective last-16 match.