WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Countdown to Women’s World Cup: Debutants come with surprises up their sleeves
Eight teams will play their first Women’s World Cup when the expanded tournament kicks off next week and a couple of recent shock results indicate that they might not just be in Australia and New Zealand to make up the numbers.
Critics of the expansion from 24 to 32 teams raised concerns that inexperienced newcomers might be trampled beneath the feet of the traditional powerhouses from Europe and North America.
Zambia, however, showed that no team should be underestimated last week when the World Cup first-timers shocked twice world champions Germany 3-2 in a pre-tournament friendly.
Zambia striker Barbra Banda grabbed a brace, including the winner deep into stoppage time, after making a pre-match pledge that her 77th-ranked side could make inroads Down Under.
“It’s a dream come true so I need to showcase my talent there,” the captain told reporters.
“We have set a target of progressing to the next round and do well there and maybe go all the way to the finals.”
Zambia, who open their campaign against 2011 winners Japan on July 22, will be joined at the tournament by fellow newcomers Haiti, Ireland, Morocco, the Philippines, Portugal, Panama and Vietnam, compared to just four first-timers seen in 2019.
“There most likely will be some lopsided scorelines just given the fact that some of these teams have not been able to be on the world stage or be in an environment like this,” said retired U.S. great Carli Lloyd.
The Fox Sports analyst nonetheless predicted the tournament would be “the biggest, best and most competitive World Cup to date”.
“It’s just amazing – a team like Ireland being able to come in and play in their first World Cup and Vietnam and Portugal even,” she told Reuters. “The expanded field is going to be great.”
The 21st-ranked Portuguese are the highest ranked among the newcomers and earlier this month held the European champions England to a goalless draw.
“I think anyone can beat anyone on any day,” said England defender Jess Carter.
“I think obviously we are constantly improving but the quality of international teams now is just getting better and better.
“The World Cup is so open for so many teams to go and win. Everyone wants to be challenging for the same thing.”
INSPIRE NEXT GENERATION
Portugal face a big test in their opener against 2019 losing finalists the Netherlands, while England play newcomers Haiti in their first match.
Haiti’s goalkeeper Kerly Theus hopes their debut can inspire the next generation and put her country on the map for the world’s most popular sport.
“I’ve been to tournaments where people said ‘Haiti? What’s that?’” she told the BBC. “We want the world to know about Haiti and the talent we have.
“Oh, and we want to get past the group stage.”
Ireland, a dark horse that analysts are keeping an eye on, suffered a scare after captain Katie McCabe rolled her ankle during a friendly against France two weeks before their debut campaign.
The Irish begin the tournament against Australia’s Matildas next Thursday and will be out to crash the co-host’s opening party.
After reigning champions the United States beat Wales 2-0 in their farewell match on Sunday, coach Vlatko Andonovski said that the top-ranked teams could not afford to take any side for granted.
“The top ten have always been there. The world that is catching up is Wales, is Vietnam, is Zambia, Portugal,” he told reporters.
“You know, the 7-0, 8-0 games are gone and we can see that. I mean, Germany plays against Zambia (and) loses 3-2. Those games are going to happen.”
The Americans had not been held goalless in the first half since January but were utterly flummoxed against 30th-ranked Wales before finally breaking through late into the affair.
While Wales did not qualify for the quadrennial tournament, the lower-ranked squad had sent a message to any of the favourites in Australia and New Zealand.
“No game is going to be easy,” said Andonovski. “It doesn’t matter who is in front of us.”
-Reuters
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
What a goal-laden day for Nigeria; Falconets also win with wide margin!
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Nigeria Super Falconets gave Nigerians additional joy after their 4-0 defeat of Venezuela in Cali, Colombia in their last group match. Their victory followed up with an earlier 3-0 win by the Super Eagles in their opening Group D match with Benin Republic in Uyo.
The Falconets’ win means they have qualified for the Round of 16 where they are most likely going to face Japan when the group games are completed on Sunday.
Both Nigeria and Germany tied on six points, but Germany have one goal better than Nigeria on goal difference.
The Super Falcons made early hays when Amina Bello put Nigeria ahead after 16 minutes. Chiamaka Okwuchukwu doubled the lead in the 28th minute before Flourish Sebastine put in the third five minutes into the added time of the first half. Joy Igbokwe put in the back breaker four minutes into the added time of the second hald.
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Okwuchukwu shines despite Nigeria’s defeat to Germany in U-20 Women’s World Cup
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/chiamaka-okwuchukwu-nigeriau20.webp)
Nigeria’s U-20 Women’s World Cup campaign suffered a setback as they fell to a 3-1 defeat against a clinical German side in Bogota, Colombia on Wednesday night.
The result secures Germany’s place in the knockout stages, while leaving the Falconets with work to do in their final group match.
In an end-to-end encounter, both sides created numerous chances, but it was Germany who struck first. Cora Zicai’s pinpoint cross found Alara Sehitler, who nodded home in the 17th minute to give the Europeans the lead.
Nigeria’s star performer, Chiamaka Okwuchukwu, had earlier come close to opening the scoring with a magnificent solo run, only to be denied by German goalkeeper Rebecca Adamczyk.
Okwuchukwu’s persistence paid off early in the second half when she capitalized on a defensive mix-up to draw Nigeria level, celebrating with Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous ‘siuuu’ celebration.
However, Germany’s quality shone through as they regained the lead through Sofie Zdebel, again assisted by the impressive Zicai.
Despite Okwuchukwu having another goal ruled out for offside, Germany sealed the win in stoppage time with Sarah Ernst’s powerful header.
The defeat leaves Nigeria on three points from two matches, with their final group game against Venezuela in Cali now crucial to their hopes of progressing.
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Points of Note in Falconets’ loss to Germany
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GWqsbLhX0AAKxiF.jpeg)
Germany beat Nigeria’s Falconets 3-1 in their second group game of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. With Germany’s win, the Europeans have made it to the last 16 stage, even with a game to spare.
The coach of Germany, Kathrin Peter acknowledged the efforts of the Nigerian team , saying: “It was a really tough match today.
“That was expected, but we actually had big problems in defence. They had a few chances where we had the necessary luck, we have to admit that.
“But in the second half we were really good and asserted our dominance and I think we deserved to win in the end.”
Here are some major points:
- Germany beat Nigeria 2-0 in the final match 14 years ago in Germany.
- Germany have now won their last four FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup meetings with Nigeria. Alex Popp inspired a 2-0 victory in the 2010 final, Lena Petermann settled the decider in extra-time four year later, and Stefanie Sanders was the solitary scorer in Group D in 2018.
- This was just Nigeria’s third loss in their past 24 group matches at the tournament.
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