WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Facts before the match as South Africa face Sweden
South Africa will on Sunday be the third of the four African teams to play their opening match in the on-going Women’s World Cup.
This Group G match represents the first FIFA Women’s World Cup encounter between Sweden and South Africa. Overall, it is their third competitive meeting as they have met twice in the group stage at the Olympics, with Sweden winning both times; 4-1 in 2012 and 1-0 in 2016.
Runners-up in 2003, Sweden’s qualification for Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand 2023 has maintained their record of appearing at every FIFA Women’s World Cup™ since the inaugural tournament in 1991.
South Africa will be making their second successive appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup following their debut at France 2019, which ended in the group stage. Confidence within their camp will be at an all-time high after winning the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations – their first-ever continental title – which secured their ticket for the finals in Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand.
Last meeting:
22/01/2019: South Africa 0-0 Sweden, friendly, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town (South Africa)
KEY FACTS
Sweden reached the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the fourth time in 2019 where they were edged out 1-0 after extra time by the Netherlands. They went on to defeat England 2-1 in the match for third place.
The earliest goal in Women’s World Cup history was scored by Sweden’s Lena Videkull after just 30 seconds in their 8-0 victory against Japan in the 1991 group stage. It is a result which remains their biggest win at the finals.
Sweden are unbeaten in their last four FIFA Women’s World Cup matches against African nations (W2 D2).
Caroline Seger is set to make her 18th Women’s World Cup appearance, moving her joint-second on Sweden’s all-time list alongside Therese Sjögran. Only Hedvig Lindahl (20) has made more than 18 appearances for Sweden in the competition.
A 2-1 victory against Morocco in the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final saw South Africa win their first-ever continental title after finishing as runners-up on five previous occasions. Pivotal to their success was goalkeeper Andile Dlamini, who kept three clean sheets in six games and claimed the Best Goalkeeper award at the conclusion of the tournament.
Thembi Kgatlana claimed the honour of scoring South Africa’s first Women’s World Cup goal in a 3-1 defeat against Spain in their opening match at the 2019 finals.
SWEDEN TEAM FACTS
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
- Overall record: P: 40 W: 23 D: 5 L: 12 F: 71 A: 48 GD: 23
- Biggest win: 8-0 Sweden v. Japan (19/11/1991)
- Biggest defeat: 1-4 Sweden v. Norway (27/11/1991)/1-4 Sweden v. Germany (20/06/2015)
- Highest scoring match: 8 goals – Japan 0-8 Sweden (19/11/1991)
- Most goals scored in a match: 8 – Japan 0-8 Sweden (19/11/1991)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 4 – Sweden 1-4 Norway (27/11/1991)/Germany 4-1 Sweden (20/06/2015)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 18 – 1991 (6 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – 2007 (3 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 8 – 2015 (4 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 4 – 1995 (4 matches)/2007 (3 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 5 (2007-2011)
- Successive defeats: 2 (1999-2003)
- Successive draws: 3 (2015)
- Successive matches without a defeat: 5 (2007-2011)
- Successive matches without a win: 4 (2015)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 14 (1995-2007)
- Successive matches without scoring: 1 (five times)
- Successive clean sheets: 3 (1991)
SOUTH AFRICA TEAM FACTS
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
- Overall record: P: 3 W: 0 D: 0 L: 3 F: 1 A: 8 GD: -7
- Biggest win: n/a
- Biggest defeat: 0-4 South Africa v. Germany (17/06/2019)
- Highest scoring match: 4 goals – Spain 3-1 South Africa (08/06/2019)/South Africa 0-4 Germany (17/06/2019)
- Most goals scored in a match: 1 – Spain 3-1 South Africa (08/06/2019)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 4 – South Africa 0-4 Germany (17/06/2019)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 1 – 2019 (3 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 1 – 2019 (3 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 8 – 2019 (3 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 8 – 2019 (3 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 0
- Successive defeats: 3 (2019-present)
- Successive draws: 0
- Successive matches without a defeat: 0
- Successive matches without a win: 3 (2019-present)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 1 (2019)
- Successive matches without scoring: 2 (2019-present)
Successive clean sheets: 0
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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