Colombia hold North Korea at World Cup

BOCHUM, Germany (AFP) - North Korea were held to a goalless draw by debutantes Colombia here on Wednesday in their final Group C game at the Women's World Cup.

The 31st-ranked Colombians achieved their first World Cup points in a tie where nothing was at stake but pride for the already eliminated sides who were playing each other for the first time.

The eighth-ranked Koreans have had a disappointing tournament after reaching the quarter-finals for the first time four years ago.
Colombia played their final match without star Yoreli Rincon, 17, who had helped them to a surprise semi-final spot in the under-20 World Cup in Germany last year.
Thirty-three shots were registered but none hit the net with both teams returning home having failed to score.
Colombia made most of the early running with Orianica Velasquez having three shots on goal in the opening six minutes.
Yulieht Dominguez was next to try her luck for the South Americans, but her goal-bound strike was admirably pushed out for a corner by the stretching Hong Myong-Hui.
Korea had a chance on 19 minutes from a free-kick but Ho Un-Byol's effort went over the bar.
The last chance of the first half was a Velasquez effort which went wide of Hong's right-hand post.
The Koreans missed two great chances to take the lead in the closing minutes. First, Jo's effort was masterfully saved by Sandra Sepulveda, before the No.10 flashed her header wide from Ri Ye Gyong's fine cross.
Velasquez had the final two shots of the tie but both went wide.
Sweden and the United States are through to the quarter-finals from Group C.
Unbeaten Sweden are top of the group with the United States second on six points and North Korea ahead of Colombia on goal difference as they both finish with one point.
Korean coach Kim Kwang-Min had initially blamed the effects of being struck by lightning at a pre-tournament training camp on his players failure to win.
The United States beat Colombia 3-0 and North Korea 2-0 as Sweden squeezed past the same teams with 1-0 wins.
The next big tournament for the young Colombian team will be the Olympic Games next year.