WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Statistical overview of Nigeria’s duel with Canada
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Friday’s goalless draw of Nigeria and Canada in the Group B match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand has yielded points of interest.
First it was the first time that the Nigerian team had played a goalless draw in what was their 27th match in the history of the tournament.
The Super Falcons’ coach, Randy Waldrum at 66 years and 299 days becomes the oldest coach to lead the Super Falcons out in a Women’s World Cup match, claiming the record from Thomas Dennerby (59 years and 313 daysin Nigeria’s match against Germany four years ago.
It was a match that Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie denied record-chasing Canada’s star, Christine Sinclair, a place in the World Cup scoring sheet.
Had the Canadian scored the 50th minute penalty kick, she would have becoming the first player to score in six World Cups. She however became the second-oldest player to make an appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup at the age of 40 years and 39 days. The oldest player in tournament history is Brazil’s Formiga at 41 years and 112 days in the 2019 edition when Brazil faced France.
When Chiamaka stopped the penalty kick, it meant that four of the last six penalties awarded at the FIFA Women’s World Cup have been missed.
Friday’s (early morning in Nigeria) match saw Sophie Schmidt becoming the second Canadian player to feature in five editions of the Women’s World Cup after Christine Sinclair, who has now played in her sixth tournament.
Purists may however have contrary views, especially concerning another Canadian player, Karina LeBlanc, a goalkeeper who also featured in five squads, but did not make an appearance in all of those editions.
With the Super Falcons not scoring in the match, it turned to be the sixth clean sheet that Canada have kept in their last ten FIFA Women’s World Cup outings.
It is also noteworthy that Canada have not conceded a goal in their opening match at three successive Women’s World Cup final competitions.
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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