WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Le Sommer scores brace in France’s 4-0 last-16 win over Morocco
Eugenie Le Sommer netted a brace to lead France to a 4-0 victory over debutants Morocco in their last-16 match at the Women’s World Cup, and into the quarter-finals for the third consecutive time.
Kadidiatou Diani’s fourth goal of the tournament, a header in the 15th minute, sparked an eight-minute three-goal Les Bleues blitz, with Kenza Dali and Le Sommer also scoring at Hindmarsh Stadium, ending the North African side’s fairytale run.
France next face hosts Australia in the quarter-finals on Saturday in Brisbane.
Morocco became the lowest-ranked team (72) to play in the last 16, bouncing back from a 6-0 rout by Germany to beat South Korea and Colombia. But they were no match for fifth-ranked France who went unbeaten in the group stage, capped by a dramatic 6-3 win over Panama.
Le Sommer increased her all-time leading goalscoring record for France to 90, while the game marked the first time Les Bleues had scored four goals in a World Cup knockout game.
Diani, who netted a hat-trick against Panama, was unmarked in the box for an easy header from Sakina Karchaoui’s cross that kicked off the scoring and had Moroccan keeper Khadija Er-Rmichi smacking her fists on the pitch in frustration.
There was more frustration to come. Dali connected five minutes later when she struck Diani’s cross, her long shot ricocheting off the inside of the far post and in.
Le Sommer was able to get a boot on the ball for her first goal in the 23rd minute after Diani pressured a Moroccan defender.
The 34-year-old Olympique Lyonnais forward netted her second in what had been an otherwise quiet second half for France, heading in a long cross from Vicki Becho from the far post in the 70th minute.
This World Cup marked the first time three African nations made the last 16 in Morocco, South Africa and Nigeria. Morocco were hoping to become the first African nation to win a knockout game.
Nouhaila Benzina had also made history as the first player to wear a hijab in the Women’s World Cup.
-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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