WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Super Falcons’ first opponents and Olympic champions, Canada have first World Cup medal in sights
Canada’s women’s soccer team finally found golden glory after years of tantalising near misses when they beat Sweden in a nerve-jangling shootout to triumph at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
However, much has changed since they celebrated on the Yokohama pitch and Bev Priestman’s side head to the Women’s World Cup with a number 7 ranking, still mired in an equity pay battle with the federation and missing key players to injury.
“The mindset going into this tournament is ambitious, striving for more and looking to climb the steepest mountain,” Portland Thorns forward Adriana Leon told Canada Soccer.
Canada won back-to-back Olympic bronze medals before their Tokyo joy but have not had the same success at the World Cup despite playing in every one since the inaugural edition in 1991. They lost the bronze game in 2003 in their best finish.
The Canadians were undefeated in 14 of 17 games in 2022, but have lost four of their last five with three defeats at the SheBelieves Cup in February when they played under protest and called out what they called the “disgusting” discrepancy between the support for Canada’s men’s versus women’s programmes.
Long-time captain Christine Sinclair said the women want the pay dispute with their federation settled before they leave for Australia.
“(The) time’s coming where we want it done so as players we’re not having to deal with it while we’re trying to prepare,” the 40-year-old told The Canadian Press.
Canada are in Group B with hosts Australia, Nigeria and Ireland.
POSSIBLE RECORD
Canada’s talisman Sinclair, their all-time top scorer with 190 goals and one of the country’s most recognisable athletes, will become the first person to score at six World Cups if she finds the net Down Under.
Sheridan is expected to get the nod in goal.
“Getting that confidence from Bev has been massive,” the San Diego Waves keeper told Canada Soccer. “Stepping into (retired keeper Stephanie Labbe’s) shoes is never going to be easy and anybody who’s been before me has been a world-class goalkeeper.
“Bev has given me a lot of confidence and been challenging me in areas I didn’t think I could challenge myself in.”
Janine Beckie’s season-ending knee injury in March was a blow but Canada have had good news including Chelsea defender Kadeisha Buchanan’s return from injury late in the WSL season.
“The mindset of the team going into the tournament is unbreakable,” Sheridan said.
Buchanan and Vanessa Giles are expected to anchor Canada’s back line. Jessie Fleming, fresh off an FA Cup triumph with Chelsea, Sophie Schmidt, who plans to retire post-World Cup, and Julia Grosso should command the midfield.
“Knowing that the country is behind us is our 12th man, it means everything to us to have the support of Canada,” Leon said.
-Reuters
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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