WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Tagnaout, Chebbak headline Morocco squad for Women’s World Cup debut
Top stars Ghizlane Chebbak and Fatima Tagnaout are among the 28 players named in Morocco’s squad for their debut at the FIFA Women’s World Cup next month.
Saudi Arabia-based talented striker Ibtissam Jraidi was also included in coach Reynald Pedros’ preliminary squad for the tournament to be held in Australia & New Zealand.
Eight players from local giants AS FAR were also named in the squad highligting the contrubtion of the club that forms the core of the Moroccan women’s national team.
The Frenchman unveiled the eagerly awaited list on Monday and the country’s key players will be part of the preparation camp for the upcoming global competition.
The unveiling of the squad marks a significant milestone for women’s football in Morocco, as the nation eagerly anticipates their team’s performance on the global stage.
The selected players represent a mix of domestic and international talent, with representatives from clubs in France, England, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Among them is Jraidi, the top scorer in the last CAF Women’s Champions League, and Tagnaout, who was crowned the best player of the competition.
The Atlas Lionesses can also rely on the leadership of their captain, Chebbak, who was named the best player of the previous CAF TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The preparation period presents an opportunity for players like Rosella Ayane, who has had limited playing time with Tottenham, to improve their form and make their mark.
Following friendlies against Italy and Switzerland, Coach Pedros will face the challenging task of naming his final squad.
Morocco will face Italy on July 1, followed by another friendly match against Switzerland on July 5.
The French coach will need to drop five players from the squad, whittle the team down to 23 players and communicate the final list to FIFA by 10 July.
Making their first-ever appearance in the Women’s World Cup, the Atlas Lionesses are set to face tough opponents in the group stage.
Germany, South Korea, and Colombia will challenge Morocco at the group stage of the tournament.
The team will kick off their campaign against Germany on July 24 at AAMI Park in Melbourne, Australia, followed by a match against South Korea on July 30 at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide.
Their final group stage game will be against Colombia on August 3 at HBF Park in Perth.
Morocco’s preliminary squad for the 2023 Women’s World Cup
Goalkeepers: Ines Arouaissa (AS Cannes, France), Khadija Errmichi (AS FAR), Assia Zouhair (SCCM, Morocco)
Defenders: Hanane Ait El Haj (AS FAR), Nouhaila Benzina (AS FAR), Siham Boukhami (AS FAR), Ghizlane Chhiri (AS FAR), Nesryne El Chad (Lille, France), Rkia Mazrouai (Sporting de Charlerois, Belgium), Yasmin Mrabet (FC Levante Las Planas, Spain), Zineb Redouani (AS FAR), Sabah Seghir (Napoli, Italy)
Midfielders: Ghizlane Chebbak (AS FAR), Najat Badri (AS FAR), Anissa Lamari (Guingamp, France), Sarah Kassi (Fleury, France), Élodie Nakkach (Servette Geneva, Switzerland)
Forwards: Salma Amani (FC Metz, France), Rosella Ayane (Tottenham, England), Anissa Belkasmi (US Orleans, France), Sofia Bouftini (RS Berkane, Morocco), Kenza Chapelle (FC Nantes, France), Fatima Gharbi (CE Europa, Spain), Samya Hassani (SC Telstar VVNH, Netherlands), Ibtissam Jraidi (Al-Ahli Saudi Football Club, Saudi Arabia), Sakina Ouzraoui Diki (Club Bruges, Belgium), Imane Saoud (Servette Geneva, Switzerland), Fatima Tagnaout (AS FAR)
Morocco match schedule
July 24, 2023
Germany – Morocco, 9:30 a.m. (Rabat time), AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia
July 30, 2023
South Korea – Morocco 5:30 a.m. (Rabat time), Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia
August 03, 2023
Morocco – Colombia 11 a.m. (Rabat time), HBF Park, Perth, Australia
Despite wintry conditions in Blida, on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, Algiers, Nigeria’s U17 girls dug their feet into the ground on Friday night.
They achieved a scoreless draw that qualified them for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals.
Holding on to a 4-0 first-leg advantage, the 2002 bronze medallists adopted a calm and collected pattern that easily soaked up the expected pressure from the hosts and then relied on fast breaks to try and pull the trigger on their opponents.
Although they created better chances on the night, the Flamingos failed to make dominance in possession pay, but swiftly collected the ticket to Morocco on a 4-0 aggregate win.
The difference over two legs of the final round was a remarkable display in the opening leg by the Flamingos, during which a brace by Queen Joseph and one each by Zainab Raji and substitute Aisha Animashaun ensured a 4-0 win.
The Flamingos will now be one of Africa’s five representatives (including hosts Morocco) at this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals taking place from 17th October – 5th November. The final competition will entertain 24 teams for the very first time.
Since the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup competition was launched in New Zealand in 2008, Nigeria have failed to make the finals only once – the 2018 tournament hosted by Uruguay.
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Despite heavy first leg loss, Algeria hopeful of a turnaround in Nigeria’s Flamingos clash
The Algeria U17 women’s national team still hope for a possible turnaround in this Friday night clash with Nigeria’s Flamingos.
Algeria lost 4-0 in the first leg match in Ikenne last Saturday.
The Algerians completed their preparations on Thursday at the Sidi Moussa National Technical Centre, the eve of the return match against Nigeria.
The return match is scheduled for this Friday at 8 p.m. at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Blida. Aggregate winners will pick a ticket to the FIFA U-17 Women’s 2025 World Cup.
According to sources in Algeria, all the players took part in the final session, during which coach Abdenour Mira finalised the tactical details for the make or mar encounter.
Despite the heavy defeat conceded in the first leg (4-0), the young Algerians approach this match with the desire to finish well and deliver an honourable performance against a formidable Nigerian team.
During the technical meeting held early in the afternoon at the FAF headquarters, in the presence of representatives of the two teams and the organisers, it was decided that Algeria will play in green, while Nigeria will wear white.
The match will be officiated by Cameroonian Aline Marie Noelle Guimbang, assisted by her compatriot Laurie Marcelle Tsafack Teikeu and Chadian Victorine Ngarassoum.
The fourth official will also be Cameroonian, Innoncentia Njang Ntangti.
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Under possible cold weather in Blida, Nigeria’s Flamingos set to grab World Cup ticket
The weather is most likely to be cold, but Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos, are set to continue a tradition of qualifying for every edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, which has had eight editions, out of which the Flamingos featured in seven.
Only Japan, with 100 per cent attendance, has featured in more competitions than Nigeria’s Flamingos.
They look poised to feature again after a 4-0 defeat of Algeria in the first leg of the final qualifying series.
Apart from their opponents, Algeria, they have the expected cold weather to battle with at the Stade Mustapha Tchaker in Blida (outside Algiers), on Friday night.
Friday’s encounter against their Algerian counterparts is the final leg of a final qualifying round fixture, with the Flamingos, bronze-medallists from the 2022 finals in India and quarterfinalists from the last edition in the Dominican Republic, holding on to a 4-0 first-leg advantage.
The Federation Algerienne de Football (FAF) has scheduled the match to kick off at 8 pm, at a time when the winds will begin to blow in stronger from the Mediterranean Sea.
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