WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: Nigeria, Australia clash assumes huge importance
Thursday’s encounter between the Super Falcons of Nigeria and the Matildas of Australia has assumed high importance for both teams following the declaration of Matildas’ defender Charlie Grant that the Aussies have a good idea of how to cage the Super Falcons.
Grant said on Monday that the Republic of Ireland sat deep in the two teams’ clash at Stadium Australia on the opening day of the tournament, but that she would expect the Super Falcons to play more adventurously at the Lang Park on Thursday evening.
Nigeria captain Onome Ebi said the nine-time African champions have no reason to reveal their strategy for the game, but they would certainly surprise the Matildas.
“It is interesting that they have an idea of how to play us. We also have our own idea of how to play them. It is a very crucial game for us and we will throw everything we have into it.”
Australia, with three points, top Group B after the first round of matches, with Nigeria and Canada joint second with one point each.
“It is very important to us to collect the three points on Thursday. That will put us in a great position before we play the Irish.”
For the Matildas, victory will take them to six points and all but guarantee a place in the Round of 16, ahead of their much-anticipated clash with Olympic champions Canada.
With the championship hosting 32 teams, it means only two top-placed teams in each will make progress to the knock-out rounds, where more cash is available for the players. Ebi said the Falcons also want to earn more money in the tournament, with the sum of $60,000 to go to each player whose team attains the Round of 16, and $90,000 for any team that gets to the quarter finals. Players of teams that exit the group stage will only earn $30,000 each.
“Much more than money, it is a matter of pride. Of course, we will like the money. However, Nigeria comes first. We were in the quarter-finals in 1999 and that is a long time ago; we want to work to go far in this tournament. Last time, in France, we got to the Round of 16. We are looking beyond the group stage here,” said the veteran who is attending her sixth World Cup finals and could play her 15th match of the finals on Thursday.
Ever-present Nigeria is the only African team to have earned a point here after their first round of matches, with other flagbearers Zambia, South Africa and Morocco having been denied of any point by their respective opponents.
The Falcons returned to training on Sunday evening after having Saturday off, following Friday’s draw with Canada in Melbourne, and also trained on Monday evening at the match time (8pm).
With midfield powerhouses Rasheedat Ajibade and Halimatu Ayinde back from suspension, Coach Randy Waldrum is most likely to juggle the starting line-up, with Ayinde possibly the clear replacement for the impressive Deborah Abiodun who got a red card against the Canadians.
The lithe and lethal Ajibade, being ambipedal, could be deployed on either wing, meaning either Francisca Ordega or Ifeoma Onumonu could start from the bench.
Ajibade told thenff.com: “Personally, I’m fine. Really pumped up for the game. It’s going to be a difficult game because we’re playing the host team in front of their own fans and at their own stadium with so much crowd. A lot of factors.
“However, I think we’ve got this. I trust the team. We have the capacity; we have the talent and we have the energy. We just have to bring our ‘A’ game to the party and we can do it.”
The Iranian soccer team sang and saluted their national anthem ahead of their final Women’s Asian Cup match against the Philippines on Sunday, six days after their decision to remain silent saw them labelled “wartime traitors” on state TV back home.
The Iranians, whose situation had become a cause celebre among human rights campaigners, will play no further part in the tournament after a 2-0 loss to the Philippines at Gold Coast Stadium in the state of Queensland.
Iran coach Marziyeh Jafari told the post-match news conference that the team was keen to return home.
“We are very impatiently waiting to return,” she told reporters. “Personally, I would like to return to my country as soon as possible and be with my compatriots and family.”
Some fans, who had waved the pre-1979 Iranian flag and booed the national anthem inside the ground, tried to prevent the team coach from leaving the stadium precinct, chanting “Save our girls!”.
Reza Pahlavi, an American-based opposition activist and son of the Shah of Iran who was deposed in the 1979 revolution, called on the Australian government to ensure the team’s safety and give them any needed support.
‘ONGOING THREAT’
“The members of the Iranian Women’s National Football Team are under significant pressure and ongoing threat from the Islamic Republic,” he posted on social media platform X.
“As a result of their brave act of civil disobedience in refusing to sing the current regime’s national anthem, they face dire consequences should they return to Iran.”
The team’s campaign in Australia started last weekend just as the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on their homeland, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The players declined to sing the anthem before their loss to South Korea in their tournament opener on March 2, a decision a commentator on Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting said showed a lack of patriotism and was the “pinnacle of dishonour”.
They did sing the anthem and saluted before their second defeat against the host nation on Thursday, sparking fears among Australian human rights campaigners that they had been coerced by government minders
A petition launched on Friday on the Change.org website urging Australia to give refuge to the team had gathered more than 51,000 signatures late on Sunday.
The petition called on Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke to ensure the team did not depart Australia “while credible fears for their safety remain”.
Burke declined to comment on the petition via a spokesperson. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in televised remarks that she did not want to “get into commentary about the Iranian women’s team”.
“Obviously this is a regime that we know has brutally cracked down on its people,” she said.
Players union FIFPRO had previously called on the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA to uphold their human rights obligations and undertake all necessary steps to ensure the safety of Iran’s squad in the wake of the broadcast.
–Reuters
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Japan delivered a ruthless attacking display to thrash India 11-0 on Saturday and book their place in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Asian Cup, while Taiwan secured their first win of the tournament with a narrow 1-0 victory over Vietnam in the other Group C match in Perth.
The Group C leaders, champions in 2014 and 2018, completely overwhelmed India at the Perth Rectangular Stadium, dominating possession and pinning their opponents deep inside their own half for most of the match. India failed to register a single shot as Japan’s relentless attack exposed the gulf in quality between the two sides.
Japan raced into an early lead in the fourth minute when Yuzuki Yamamoto curled in a superb opener before Yui Hasegawa added a second. Hinata Miyazawa then struck twice to extend the advantage, while Kiko Seike converted from the penalty spot to give Japan a commanding 5-0 lead at halftime.
Despite making three changes at the break, Japan showed no signs of easing off. Substitute Riko Ueki made an immediate impact, scoring twice within three minutes before completing her hat-trick in just 18 minutes after Maya Hijikata had also found the net.
Miyazawa rounded off the emphatic victory in the 81st minute to complete her own hat-trick, sealing an 11-0 scoreline that underlined Japan’s dominance as the highest-ranked team in Asia against an Indian side ranked 59 places below them.
Earlier in the day, Taiwan claimed their first victory of the tournament with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Vietnam.
Su Yu-hsuan scored the decisive goal in the first half with a well-taken header to give the three-time Asian champions the lead in a contest where clear chances were limited.
Vietnam, who reached the quarter-finals in the previous edition, pushed forward in search of an equaliser and registered nine attempts on goal. However, none were on target as Taiwan’s disciplined defence held firm to preserve their slender advantage until the final whistle.
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The global representative organisation for professional footballers, FIFPRO, has urged governing bodies responsible for the 2026 Women’s Asian Football Confederation Cup to protect the Iran national team after they were labelled “wartime traitors” by an Iranian state television presenter.
Both FIFA, world football’s governing body, and the AFC have been called upon to “undertake all necessary steps to ensure the safety of Iran’s Women’s National Team players”.
The Iran women’s national football team players did not sing their national anthem before their Asian Cup opener against South Korea in Australia earlier this week.
Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting presenter Mohammad Reza Shahbazi said in a video that the players showed a lack of patriotism and their actions amounted to the “pinnacle of dishonour” in footage circulating widely on social media.
“Let me just say one thing: traitors during wartime must be dealt with more severely,” Shahbazi said.
“Anyone who takes a step against the country under war conditions must be dealt with more severely. Like this matter of our women’s football team not singing the national anthem … these people must be dealt with more severely.”
In a statement released on the social media platform X, FIFPRO released a strong and lengthy statement outlining its concerns.
“In addition to the dangerous situation the players would face if they return to Iran following the tournament, FIFPRO Asia/Oceania is deeply concerned by reports that Iranian state television has publicly attacked the members of the team for remaining silent during the national anthem before their opening match,” the statement read.
“Footage circulating online shows Mohammad Reza Shahbazi, a state TV presenter, calling for them to face the ‘stigma of dishonour and betrayal’.
“These statements significantly heighten concerns for the players’ safety should they return to Iran after the tournament.
“FIFPRO Asia/Oceania has once again written to the AFC and FIFA, calling on them to uphold their human rights obligations under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and FIFA’s Human Rights Policy and protect the players.
“We call on the AFC and FIFA to urgently engage with the Iranian Football Association, the Australian Government and all other relevant authorities to ensure that every effort is made to protect the safety of the players.”
The Iranian players stood in silence when Iran’s anthem was played at the Gold Coast ahead of their 3-0 opening loss to South Korea on Monday, though they sang and saluted before a 4-0 defeat by hosts Australia three days later.
The Reuters news agency has contacted both the Asian Football Confederation, the Iranian football federation and the team at the Asian Cup for comment.
Ahead of their game against Australia, Iran forward Sara Didar fought back tears and spoke about the war, while coach Marziyeh Jafari said her players were doing their best to focus on the tournament despite concern for their families back home.
Iran face the Philippines on Sunday in their final group match.
-Aljazeera
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