WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
France favourites but Morocco eye another odds-defying result
France will aim to halt debutants Morocco’s fairytale run at the Women’s World Cup when the teams meet in the last 16 in Adelaide on Tuesday while Jamaica and Colombia battle to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.
There are 67 places separating fifth-ranked France from Morocco but coach Herve Renard warned his team not to take their opponents lightly after several shocks, with holders U.S. joining former champions Norway and Germany in crashing out.
Renard, who previously coached Morocco’s men’s team, will be up against fellow Frenchman Reynald Pedros, a former France international who has been in charge of Morocco since 2020.
“There will be just one French coach left in the quarter-finals,” Renard said. “I hope it will be me.”
Morocco, who were expected to make an early exit, were one of several surprise packages who qualified for the knockouts, bouncing back from a 6-0 hammering by Germany to beat South Korea and Colombia 1-0 and finish runners-up in Group H.
Pedros said he will have no qualms about eliminating France as Morocco, the first Arab nation at the tournament, look to make more history. The winners will face co-hosts Australia who knocked out Denmark to reach the last eight.
“I am French but my heart is with Morocco,” Pedros said. “I will do everything for us to qualify for the quarter-finals.”
Colombia, who upset Germany 2-1, topped Group H to reach the last 16 for a second time. They play Jamaica in Melbourne, with the winners facing England after they beat Nigeria on penalties.
Jamaica – who lost every game on their World Cup debut in 2019 – have yet to concede, having held France and Brazil to goalless draws. But they have also only scored once, a header by captain Allyson Swaby against Panama.
“I don’t think it’s a major concern to us,” coach Lorne Donaldson said. “We have to try to score a goal to win this game because somebody will be knocked out, it’s like a boxing match.
“Somebody will go down. We’re going to be the ones standing when the game is over.”
-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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