WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: Two Nigerians among 8 Africans CAF listed as players to watch
With the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand starting this week, Cafonline.com takes a look at some of the African players hoping to shine at the tournament.
Chiamaka Nnadozie – Nigeria
Age: 22
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Paris FC (France)
The youngest goalkeeper at France 2019, Nnadozie has grown over the last four years. After a stellar season with 11 clean sheets in 26 games to help Paris FC finish third and qualify for the UEFA Women’s Champions League, the Nigerian’s shot-stopping abilities will be key. Standing at 1.8m, she dominates the area and is strong on crosses and set-pieces.
Andile Dlamini – South Africa
Age: 30
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Mamelodi Sundowns
Fresh off being named the best goalkeeper at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2022, Dlamini heads to her second World Cup. The Mamelodi Sundowns star is renowned for her one-on-one prowess thanks to speed off her line and positioning. Her reflexes and reach also make her a top shot-stopper.
Ireen Lungu – Zambia
Age: 25
Position: Midfielder
Club: BIIK Kazygurt (Kazakhstan)
A mobile midfielder, Lungu is aggressive on the ball and willing to take risks. She possesses excellent close control to retain possession in tight areas and draw fouls. Going forward, she shows creativity and guile to dictate play from the middle third with precise short and long passing.
Ghizlane Chebbak – Morocco
Age: 32
Position: Midfielder
Club: AS FAR (Morocco)
Voted player of the tournament at the Women’s AFCON 2022, playmaker Chebbak has football pedigree as daughter of 1976 AFCON winner Larbi Chebbak. Equally adept as a box-to-box runner or advanced playmaker, her vision, passing range and set-piece delivery make her a key cog for Morocco.
Fatima Tagnaout – Morocco
Age: 24
Position: Forward
Club: AS FAR
Pace and creativity define Tagnaout’s game. The versatile striker can play across the front line but prefers the left channel, cutting inside to shoot with her right foot. Her acceleration and top speed make her a constant threat on the counter, while clever movement creates space.
Asisat Oshoala – Nigeria
Age: 28
Position: Forward
Club: Barcelona (Spain)
A five-time African Women’s Player of the Year, Oshoala thrives on the open field with her blistering speed. Though she can finish anywhere, her heading, hold-up play and athleticism make her a well-rounded striker. Intelligent runs in behind defences are a speciality of the prolific finisher.
Barbra Banda – Zambia
Age: 23
Position: Forward
Club: Shanghai Shengli (China)
Banda announced herself on the world stage at Tokyo 2020, becoming the first women’s footballer to score back-to-back hat-tricks at an Olympics. Her pace with the ball creates space to shoot from distance or attack defences directly. Dropping deep to link play, she also provides key passes, while curling right-foot strikes echo Thierry Henry.
Thembi Kgatlana – South Africa
Age: 27
Position: Forward
Club: Racing Louisville (USA)
After missing most of the Women’s AFCON 2022 through injury, Kgatlana is back fit to lead the line for Banyana Banyana. Boasting superb technique and explosive acceleration, her low centre of gravity helps in duels. Strong aerial abilities and smart movement round out the skillset of the 5’4” striker.
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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