WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
A match Nigerians are keen for as Canada play Ireland
Nigerians both in Australia and elsewhere will watch with keen interest the Group B clash of Canada and Republic of Ireland.
Both teams come into this crunch Group B clash in Perth/Boorloo knowing that a victory is vital to their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
Canada were held to a goalless draw by Nigeria in their opening match, in which they were left to rue Christine Sinclair’s penalty miss.
With joint-hosts Australia awaiting in their third group contest, the Canadians are well aware that three points are essential in this one if they are to advance to the knockout stage for a third consecutive tournament.
Debutantes the Republic of Ireland went down 1-0 to Australia in their curtain-raiser, despite producing a valiant display. The Girls in Green competed extremely well, with the co-hosts’ goal coming from the penalty spot, while they showed plenty of attacking threat, and their nine attempts at goal will give them confidence ahead of this encounter.
Here are statistics ahead of the clash.
- Last meeting:12/03/2014, Canada 2-1 Republic of Ireland, Women’s Cyprus Cup 2014, GSP Stadium, Nicosia (Cyprus)
- Key facts: Canada have lost only one of their last seven FIFA Women’s World Cup group matches (W3 D3 L1).
- Against Nigeria, Canada’s Christine Sinclair became the second-oldest player to feature at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, at the age of 40 years and 39 days. The oldest player to make an appearance in FIFA Women’s World Cup history is Brazil’s Formiga, who lined up against France in 2019 aged 41 years and 112 days.
- Canada have kept five clean sheets in their last seven FIFA Women’s World Cup group stage outings.
- Canada kept a clean sheet in each of their first two matches in the last two editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
- Against Australia, Abbie Larkin became the youngest-ever player to represent the Republic of Ireland at the FIFA Women’s World Cup at the age of 18 years and 84 days. She is the only teenager in Vera Pauw’s squad.
CANADA TEAM FACTS
- Overall record: Play28, Win 8, Draw 6, Lost 14, Goals For: 34, Goals Against:52, Goal Difference: -18
- Biggest win: Canada 4-0Ghana (15/09/2007)
- Biggest defeat: Canada 0-7. Norway (08/08/1995)
- Highest scoring match: 8 goals – Canada 1-7 Norway (23/06/1999)
- Most goals scored in a match: 4 – Canada 4-0 Ghana (15/09/2007)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 7 – Canada 0-7 Norway (08/08/1995)/Canada 1-7 Norway (23/06/1999)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 10 – 2003 (6 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 1 – 2011 (3 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 13 – 1995 (3 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – 2015 (5 matches)/2019 (4 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 3 (2003) Successive defeats: 3 (three times)
- Successive draws: 2 (2015)
- Successive matches without a defeat: 4 (2015)
- Successive matches without a win: 7 (1995-2003)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 12 (1999-2007)
- Successive matches without scoring: 2 (2011 and 2019-present)
- Successive clean sheets: 2 (2015 and 2019)
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND TEAM FACTS
- Overall record: Play1, Win 0, Draw 0, Lost 1, Goals For: 0, Goals Against: 1, Goal Difference: -1
- Biggest win: Nil
- Biggest defeat: 0-1 Republic of Ireland v. Australia (20/07/2023)
- Highest scoring match: 1 goal – Republic of Ireland 0-1 Australia (20/07/2023)
- Most goals scored in a match: 0
- Most goals conceded in a match: 1 – Republic of Ireland 0-1 Australia (20/07/2023)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 0 (2023 – 1 match)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 0 (2023 – 1 match)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 1 (2023 – 1 match)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 1 (2023 – 1 match)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 0
- Successive defeats: 1 (2023-present)
- Successive draws: 0
- Successive matches without a defeat: 0
- Successive matches without a win: 1 (2023-present)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 0
- Successive matches without scoring: 1 (2023-present) Successive clean sheets: 0
The Iranian women’s soccer team crossed the Turkish border into Iran on Wednesday to complete a fraught return journey from Australia, after five members withdrew asylum claims they had lodged there.
Australia had granted humanitarian visas to six players and one support staff member after they sought asylum, saying they feared possible persecution if they returned to Iran.
Concerns over their safety surfaced when several players failed to sing the national anthem at a women’s Asian Cup match earlier this month after the United States and Israel launched the war against Iran. Iranian state television had labelled them “wartime traitors”.
The team, which flew into Istanbul on Tuesday, took a flight to Igdir in eastern Turkey on Wednesday morning.
The players emerged from Igdir Airport, pulling their luggage and chatted in front of the terminal before boarding a bus to the border. One of them briefly smiled and waved at a TV camera before the bus departed. After a trip of around two hours to the frontier, they went through passport control at the Gurbulak border gate before crossing over into Iran.
A bus carrying members of the Iranian women’s national soccer team arrives at the Gurbulak Border Gate, a crossing point between Turkey and Iran, as they travel to their home country after five players withdrew the asylum claims they had lodged in Australia over safety concerns about returning due to not singing the national anthem at a women’s Asian Cup match earlier this month, in the eastern Agri province, Turkey, March 18, 2026. REUTERS/Ali Ihsan Ozturk
The team’s Asian Cup campaign began just as the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament more than a week ago.
Five of those who had sought asylum in Australia subsequently changed their minds and decided to return home, with Australian media reporting the latest withdrawal on Monday.
They rejoined the rest of the squad in Kuala Lumpur, where the team had been staying since leaving Sydney last week.
The Iranian Football Association (FFIRI) said last week that those who had changed their minds would travel home with the rest of the team “to once again be embraced by their families and homeland.”
Two players are still in Australia and have been pictured training with a local A-League club.
-Reuters
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The two players from the Iranian women’s soccer squad who chose to remain in Australia after seeking asylum have been pictured training with a local A-League club as they begin their new lives in the country.
Midfielder Fatemeh Pasandideh and defender Atefeh Ramezanizadeh were among seven members of Iran’s delegation granted humanitarian visas amid fears of possible persecution if they returned home after competing in the women’s Asian Cup in Australia.
Concerns over their safety emerged after the players failed to sing their national anthem before their opening match on the Gold Coast in the state of Queensland. Iranian state media labelled them as “wartime traitors”, with the team’s campaign beginning as the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran.
Five members of the group, however, subsequently changed their minds about Australia’s asylum offer and decided to return home.
Queensland-based A-League club Brisbane Roar announced on social media the remaining two players, Pasandideh and Ramezanizadeh, had joined a training session with its women’s team on Monday.
“Brisbane Roar officially welcomed both Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanizadeh to the club’s training facilities…and remain committed to providing a supportive environment for them whilst they navigate the next stages,” CEO Kaz Patafta said.
Photos posted by the club showed the two players meeting the Brisbane Roar squad and taking part in shooting drills.
“Thank you for everything,” wrote Ramezanizadeh, 33, under the post on Instagram.
Pasandideh, 21, also posted on her Instagram story on Monday a photo with FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis in Brisbane with a caption saying “everything will be fine”.
While the pair began their new lives in Australia, their former teammates made their way home to Iran from Malaysia.
The team was seen at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Monday evening, checking in on an Oman Air flight, although their destination was unclear.
-Reuters
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Three Iranian women soccer players to return home after seeking asylum in Australia
Three members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who had sought asylum in Australia have decided to return to Iran, Australia’s government said on Sunday.
Australia granted humanitarian visas to seven Iranian footballers last week after they sought asylum, saying they feared persecution if they returned home after they failed to sing the national anthem at a Women’s Asian Cup match.
Four of the seven members have decided to leave Australia so far. Another member changed her mind last week.
“After telling Australian officials they had made this decision, the players were given repeated chances to talk about their options,” Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement.
“While the Australian Government can ensure that opportunities are provided and communicated, we cannot remove the context in which the players are making these incredibly difficult decisions,” he added.
The Iranian Football Association (FFIRI) named the players as Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Sarbali and Zahra Meshkehkar.
“After arriving in Malaysia and joining the rest of Iran’s women’s national football team, the three players will travel to Tehran in the coming days to once again be embraced by their families and homeland,” FFIRI added in a statement.
The Iranian team’s campaign in the Asian Cup started just as the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament last Sunday.
-Reuters
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