WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Last chance as Banyana Banyana quest for Women’s World Cup Round of 16
South Africa’s Banyana Banyana have a last chance of joining Nigeria as African team crossing the group stage of the Women’s Word Cup.
A fascinating encounter awaits in Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara as South Africa meet Italy in a Group G match, with the two teams and Argentina competing to join Sweden, who have already qualified for the knockout stage.
In their second match of the 2023 finals against Argentina, South Africa picked up their first-ever point in a FIFA Women’s World Cup match, having lost their previous four matches in the competition.
That point will give them a huge boost in confidence. They are aiming to reach the knockout rounds of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time and they will need to win this game to have a chance of doing so.
Italy have qualified for the knockout rounds in two of their previous three FIFA Women’s World Cup participations and they can make it three in four with a victory here.
They will, however, have to bounce back from a 5-0 loss at the hands of Sweden last time out. A draw will see them reach the round of 16, as long as Argentina do not beat Sweden in the other match in Group H, though victory will make the other result irrelevant.
- Last meeting:
09/08/2008, Sweden 1-0 Argentina, Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Beijing 2008, Tianjin Olympic Sports Center Stadium, Tianjin (China)
KEY FACTS
- South Africa have lost their previous three FIFA Women’s World Cup matches against European opposition.
- South Africa scored two goals against Argentina in a FIFA Women’s World Cup match for the first time.
- South Africa have scored the first goal in three of their five FIFA Women’s World Cup matches.
- Italy’s only previous FIFA Women’s World Cup match against African opposition was a 1-0 victory against Nigeria in the group stage in 1991.
- Italy have never lost successive matches in the FIFA Women’s World Cup group stage.
SOUTH AFRICA TEAM FACTS
- Overall record: Play5, Win 0, Draw 1, Lost 4, Goals For: 4, Goals Against 12, Goal Difference: -8
- Biggest win: nil
- Biggest defeat:South Africa 0-1Germany (17/06/2019)
- Highest scoring match: 4 goals – Spain 3-1 South Africa (08/06/2019), South Africa 0-4 Germany (17/06/2019)and Argentina 2-2 South Africa (28/07/2023) Most goals scored in a match: 1 – Spain 3-1 South Africa (08/06/2019)/Sweden 2-1 South Africa (23/07/2023)/Argentina 2-2 South Africa (28/07/2023)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 4 – South Africa 0-4 Germany (17/06/2019)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 –2023 (2 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 1 – 2019 (3 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 8 – 2019 (3 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 4 – 2023 (2 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 0
- Successive defeats: 4 (2019-2023)
- Successive draws: 1 (2023-present)
- Successive matches without a defeat: 1 (2023-present)
- Successive matches without a win: 5 (2019-present)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 2 (2023-present)
- Successive matches without scoring: 2 (2019)
- Successive clean sheets: 0
ITALY TEAM FACTS
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
- Overall record: Play14, Win 7, Draw 1, Lost 6, Goals For 21, Goals Against 17, Goal Difference: 4
- Biggest win: Italy 5-0 Chinese Taipei (17/11/1991), Italy 5-0 Jamaica (14/06/2019)
- Biggest defeat:Italy 0-5Sweden (29/07/2023)
- Highest scoring match: 5 goals – Italy 5-0 Chinese Taipei (17/11/1991), Italy 5-0 Jamaica (14/06/2019), Norway 3-2 Italy (24/11/1991)and Italy 0-5 Sweden (29/07/2023)
- Most goals scored in a match: 5 – Italy 5-0 Chinese Taipei (17/11/1991)/Italy 5-0 Jamaica (14/06/2019)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 5 – Italy 0-5 Sweden (29/07/2023)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 9 – 2019 (5 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – 1999 (3 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 5 – 1991 (4 matches)and 2023-present (2 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – 1999 (3 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 3 (1999-2019)
- Successive defeats: 2 (1991)
- Successive draws: 1 (1999)
- Successive matches without a defeat: 3 (1999-2019)
- Successive matches without a win: 4 (1991-1999)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 3 (1999-2019)
- Successive matches without scoring: 1 (five times, the last time was 2023-present)
- Successive clean sheets: 2 (1991)
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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