WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Statistics ahead of Super Falcons crunchy match against co-hosts, Australia’s Matildas
Joint-hosts Australia got their FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 campaign off to a promising start with an opening victory against the Republic of Ireland, and they will be looking to build on that against Nigeria as they bid to take a big step towards qualification for the knockout stage.
Nigeria claimed an excellent goalless draw against Olympic champions Canada in their tournament curtain raiser, a result that will give them plenty of confidence coming into this encounter.
That was the Super Falcons’ first scoreless stalemate in 27 FIFA Women’s World Cup outings, and they will be eager to produce another solid defensive display against the Matildas in Brisbane/Meaanjin.
The two teams have met once before – back in the group stage of the 2015 edition – and it was Australia who emerged victorious on that occasion thanks to two unanswered goals from Kyah Simon.
- Head-to-Head:12/06/2015, Australia 2-0 Nigeria, FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 group stage, Winnipeg Stadium, Winnipeg (Canada)
KEY FACTS
- Australia have won their last three FIFA Women’s World Cup matches against African opposition.
- Australia have won ten of their last 11 international matches (Win:10, Lost 1).
- The Matildashave kept seven clean sheets in their last nine international fixtures.
- Australia have only failed to score in one of their last 21 FIFA Women’s World Cup group matches.
- Nigeria have won only two of their last 18 FIFA Women’s World Cup encounters (Draw 3,Lost 13).
- At the age of 40 years and 80 days, Onome Ebi could become the second-oldest player to feature in a Women’s World Cup match, and the oldest African player. 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.
AUSTRALIA TEAM FACTS
- Overall record: Play: 27, Win: 8, Draw: 6, Lost: 13, Goals For: 39, Goals Against: 50, Goal Difference: -11
- Biggest win: Australia 4-1Ghana (12/09/2007), Australia 4-1 Jamaica (18/06/2019)
- Biggest defeat: Australia 0-5Denmark (06/06/1995)
- Highest scoring match: 6 goals – Australia 2-4 China PR (08/06/1995)
- Most goals scored in a match: 4 – Australia 4-1 Ghana (12/09/2007)and Australia 4-1 Jamaica (18/06/2019)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 5 – Australia 0-5 Denmark (06/06/1995)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 9 – 2007 and 2019 (4 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – 1995, 1999 and 2003 (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: 5 – 2015 (5 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 2 (2011 and 2019)
- Successive defeats: 3 (1995 and 1999-2003)
- Successive draws: 2 (2007)
- Successive matches without a defeat: 4 (2007, 2015 and 2019-present)
- Successive matches without a win: 9 (1995-2003)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 12 (1995-2007)
- Successive matches without scoring: 1 (1995, 2011, 2015)
- Successive clean sheets: 1 (2015, 2015 and 2023-present)
NIGERIA TEAM FACTS
- Overall record: Play: 27, Win: 4, Draw: 4, Lost: 19, Goals For: 20, Goals Against: 63, Goal Difference: -43.
- Biggest win: Nigeria 2-0 Denmark (27/06/1999), Nigeria 2-0 Korea Republic (12/06/2019)
- Biggest defeat: 0-8Nigeria 0-8 Norway (06/06/1995)
- Highest scoring match: 8 goals – Nigeria 0-8 Norway (06/06/1995)and Nigeria 1-7 USA (24/06/1999)
- Most goals scored in a match: 3 – Nigeria 3-3 Canada (08/06/1995), Nigeria 3-4 Brazil (01/07/1999)and Nigeria 3-3 Sweden (08/06/2015)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 8 – Nigeria 0-8 Norway (06/06/1995)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 8 – 1999 (4 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 0 – 1991 and 2003 (3 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 14 – 1995 (3 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 2 – 2011 (3 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 1 (four times)
- Successive defeats: 4 (three times)
- Successive draws: 1 (four times, the last of which was 2023-present)
- Successive matches without a defeat: 2 (2011-2015)
- Successive matches without a win: 9 (1999-2011)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 6 (1995-1999)
- Successive matches without scoring: 4 (1991-1995 and 2007-2011)
- Successive clean sheets: 1 (four times, the last of which was 2023-present)
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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