WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Australia play their biggest match ever as they face England
The Stadium Australia is expected to be packed on Wednesday as joint hosts, Australia face England in the second FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 semi-final. It is a clash of hosts against European champions.
This will be Australia’s first semi-final appearance at a FIFA Women’s World Cup, after they bowed out at the quarter-final stage in three of their previous campaigns (2007, 2011 and 2015).
In reaching the last four, the Matildas became only the second nation to have made it through to the FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-finals as hosts, after the USA, who were winners in 1999 and finished third in 2003. Tony Gustavsson’s charges will have a golden opportunity to make yet more history if they manage to overcome England in this one.
England have reached the semi-finals for the third consecutive edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Led by Sarina Wiegman – the only female coach left in the competition – the Lionesses overcame a valiant Colombia side in the last eight and will be going all out to secure their spot in a second successive major tournament final, after lifting the EURO crown on home soil in 2022.
LAST MEETING:
- 11/04/2023, England 0-2 Australia, friendly, Brentford Community Stadium, Brentford (England)
KEY FACTS
This will be a 32nd FIFA Women’s World Cup fixture for both nations. Australia’s record at the finals reads: Won: 10, Drawn: 7, Lost: 14, while England’s is: Won: 19, Drawn: 5, Lost: 7.
This will be the teams’ first FIFA Women’s World Cup meeting. England will be Australia’s 17th different opponent in the competition, while the Lionesses will be facing their 18th different opponent.
Australia are the third Asian Football Confederation (AFC) representatives to feature in the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, after China PR (1995, 1999) and Japan (2011, 2015).
The AFC teams’ record in the FIFA Women’s World Cup last four reads: Won 3, Lost 1.
Sides from the region have emerged victorious in each of their last three matches at this stage of the tournament, since China PR lost to Germany at the 1995 edition.
Australia have scored 47 goals in FIFA Women’s World Cup history and are therefore three shy of the 50 goal landmark.
Australia’s 31 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches have yielded a total of 100 goals (Goals For: 47, Goals Against: 53).
Australia’s nine-goal haul at this year’s finals has equalled their previous highest tally in a single edition of the tournament, which they recorded at the 2007 and 2019 instalments.
England have won 10 and drawn one of their last 13 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches (Won:10, Drawn 1, Lost 2).
The Lionesses have prevailed in three and drawn one of their five FIFA Women’s World Cup outings against AFC opposition (Won 3, Drawn 1, Lost 1).
England’s highest goals tally at a FIFA Women’s World Cup final competition is 13 (2019). They have found the net ten times so far at these finals.
England’s goalless stalemate against Nigeria in the round of 16 is the only occasion in their last 18 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches in which they have failed to score.
When she scored in the quarter-finals, Lauren Hemp (23y 5d) became the youngest England player to have netted in a FIFA Women’s World Cup knockout-stage match, claiming the record from her team mate Lucy Bronze, who was aged 23 years and 237 days when she was on target in the round of 16 meeting against Norway at the 2015 tournament.
AUSTRALIA TEAM FACTS
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
- Overall record: Played: 31, Won: 10, Drawn: 7, Lost: 14, Goals For: 47, Goal Against: 53, Goals Difference: -6
- Biggest win: 4-0 Australia v. Canada (31/07/2023)
- Biggest defeat: 0-5Australia v. Denmark (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)/Australia 4-1 Jamaica (18/06/2019)/Australia 4-0 Canada (31/07/2023)
- 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, 2019 and 2023 (5 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: 3 – 2023 (5 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 2 (2011, 2019 and 2023)
- Successive defeats: 3 (1995 and 1999-2003)
- Successive draws: 2 (2007)
- Successive matches without a defeat: 4 (2019-2023)
- Successive matches without a win: 9 (1995-2003)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 12 (1995-2007)
- Successive matches without scoring: 1 (four times, the last of which was 2023-present)
- Successive clean sheets: 3 (2023-present)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP EXTRA-TIME MATCHES
- 22/06/2019 Australia 1-1 Norway (1-4 PSO) (round of 16)
- 12/08/2023 Australia 0-0 France (7-6 PSO) (quarter-finals)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP PENALTY SHOOT-OUTS (Won 0, Lost; 1)
- 22/06/2019 Australia 1-4 Norway (PSO) (round of 16)
- 12/08/2023 Australia 7-6 France (PSO) (quarter-finals)
England team facts
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
- Overall record: Played: 31,Won: 19, Drawn: 5, Lost: 7, Goals For: 53, Goals Against: 32, Goal Difference: 21
- Biggest win: 6-1England v. Argentina (17/09/2007)/6-1 England v. China PR (01/08/2023)
- Biggest defeat: 0-3 England v. Germany (13/06/1995)/0-3 England v. USA (22/09/2007)
- Highest scoring match: 7 goals – England 6-1 Argentina (17/09/2007)/England 6-1 China PR (01/08/2023)
- Most goals scored in a match: 6 – England 6-1 Argentina (17/09/2007)/England 6-1 China PR (01/08/2023)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 3 – England 0-3 Germany (13/06/1995)/England 0-3 USA (22/09/2007)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 13 – 2019 (7 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 6 – 1995 and 2011 (4 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 9 – 1995 (4 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 2 – 2023 (5 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 6 (2015-2019)
- Successive defeats: 2 (2019)
- Successive draws: 2 (2007)
- Successive matches without a defeat: 6 (2015-2019)
- Successive matches without a win: 3 (1995-2007)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 16 (2015-2023)
- Successive matches without scoring: 1 (six times, the last of which was 2023-present)
- Successive clean sheets: 4 (2019)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP EXTRA-TIME MATCHES
- 09/07/2011 England 1-1 France (3-4 PSO) (quarter-finals)
- 04/07/2015 England 1-0 Germany (match for third place)
- 07/08/2023 England 0-0 Nigeria (4-2 PSO) (round of 16)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP PENALTY SHOOT-OUTS (Won: 1, Lost 1)
- 09/07/2011 England 3-4 France (PSO) (quarter-finals)
- 07/08/2023 England 4-2 Nigeria (PSO) (round of 16)
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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