Group B at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup produced its fair share of surprises with newcomers Sweden storming into the last eight atop the table and 2006 champions Korea DPR having to make do with second place.
Also something of a shock was Brazil's failure to progress. Four points from three matches were not enough to take them into the quarter-finals, the first time the Canarinhas have suffered this ignominy in the history of the tournament.
New Zealand also failed to live up to their own high expectations. The Junior Ferns can however look back on a campaign of steady improvement which will have boosted their confidence, despite their failure to pick up a single point in Germany.
Final standings
1. Sweden (7 points)
2. Korea DPR (6 points)
3. Brazil (4 points)
4. New Zealand (0 points)
The next fixtures
Sweden-Colombia, Bielefeld, 24 July, 11.30 (local time)
Germany-Korea DPR, Bochum, 24 July, 18.00 (local time)
A look back
Korea DPR kicked off their FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup 2010 in familiar style as a Ho Un-Byol strike earned them all three points in a 1-0 victory over Brazil. The North Koreans were clear favourites to top the group having reached the final of the last two editions, and a 2-1 win in their second match against New Zealand meant the Asians secured their place in the quarter-finals ahead of schedule.
Debutants Sweden impressed from the start, displaying an abundance of flair, talented individuals and unshakeable team spirit to top Group B. A brace from Antonia Goransson saw the Scandinavians bounce back from a 1-0 deficit in their first match to beat New Zealand before Calle Barrling's side drew their next fixture against Brazil 1-1, with Goransson again on the scoresheet. The Swedes then came from behind to spectacularly pip Korea DPR 3-2 in the battle for first place.
Despite struggling in the build-up to Germany 2010, Brazil were still among the pre-tournament favourites for the title. However, after losing their opening match against the North Koreans and then drawing with Sweden, the Canarinhas failed to progress beyond the group stage for the first time ever despite a comfortable 4-1 victory against New Zealand in their final group match.
Two defeats from their opening two games brought a swift end to New Zealand's Germany 2010 adventure. Tony Readings' young side were unable to finish their campaign on a high against the Brazilians either, bowing out at the first hurdle having failed to register a solitary point.
Memorable moments
Two players, one technique: Brazilian defender Leah was already famous for her unorthodox throw-in technique before Germany 2010. Every time she grasps the ball in her hands in preparation for a throw, the fans stand and cheer in anticipation as she launches into her spectacular somersault. However, this year the 19-year-old had a rival. In the match against Sweden, Kristin Karlsson showed off her equally acrobatic technique, further adding to the fans' enjoyment. "Kristin has been doing gymnastics at a high level for a very long time," said her coach Barrling. "When we first saw videos of Brazil's No2, we had to laugh. We knew we had a player who could do exactly the same thing."
The group in numbers
4 - The number of goals that Antonia Goransson scored for Sweden in the group stage. The 19-year-old, who normally plays as a midfielder, is her team's top scorer and is now in contention with Alexandra Popp of Germany and USA's Sydney Leroux for the adidas Golden Shoe.
The quote
"Brazil have a duty to reach the second round. It doesn't matter which teams we're up against. We have some very good players in Brazil, but unfortunately we don't have the competitions for them to gather the necessary experience for a tournament like this. We played well against Sweden and New Zealand, but we made two mistakes against the Swedes and one against Korea DPR, and that was enough to prevent us from reaching the next round," Marcos Gaspar, Brazil coach.
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