WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
End of an era for Brazil as Marta bows out of sixth World Cup
Brazil exited the World Cup on Wednesday hoping a new generational talent will emerge as Marta’s sixth and final Women’s World Cup ended with a 0-0 draw against Jamaica that sent the Caribbean side to the last 16.
Her team mates had promised a better send-off for the iconic forward affectionately known as “Queen Marta” in soccer-mad Brazil but none could find a way through the Jamaicans at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
Marta, the tournament’s all-time highest scorer with 17 goals, may have been the most frustrated of them all, having had her chances in a match in which they needed three points.
Starting on field for the first time in the tournament, her team mates found her a number of times in the area but she could not conjure the magic touch wielded at five previous World Cups.
The 37-year-old tired as Jamaica stayed firm in defence and she came off in the 80th minute to cheers from anxious Brazil fans.
Having won virtually every individual award in women’s football, Marta missed out on the World Cup she had craved, and Brazil’s wait for a first goes on.
With the team crashing out of the group stage for the first time in 28 years, questions will be asked about their preparations and tactics under coach Pia Sundhage.
Though contracted for another year, Sundhage conceded her future may be out of her hands.
The Swede was blunt about Brazil’s need to regenerate, likely without the player who has dominated women’s soccer in the country for decades.
Sundhage said she had no idea whether Marta wanted to play on for the national team but suspected she would because of her love of the game.
“Whether she’s good enough to be called up to the national team, let’s see,” said Sundhage.
“As long as I am coaching the national team, I am going to do a lot of work to find new players.
“That means it’s going to be harder for Marta to play going forward.”
-Reuters
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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