WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

All eyes on Australia, New Zealand as co-hosts kick off Women’s World Cup

Published

1 year ago

July 19, 2023

FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Previews - Perth, Australia - July 19, 2023 A general view of a sign outside the Perth Rectangular Stadium REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez

The ninth Women’s World Cup and by far the biggest in the tournament’s history kicks off on Thursday with co-hosts New Zealand and Australia in action, with record attendances expected at both their matches.

What began as a 12-team tournament in 1991, the Women’s World Cup has steadily grown in stature and expanded to 32 teams – the same as the men’s tournament.

It also marks the first time two countries are co-hosting the tournament as the quadrennial event arrives in the southern hemisphere for the first time.

New Zealand kick things off in Auckland against former champions Norway while Australia host Ireland, with both matches set to welcome more than 100,000 fans in total.

“It will set the tone for a Women’s World Cup that I expect to become a watershed moment in global women’s sports,” FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer Sarai Bareman said.

The 2015 edition in Canada welcomed a record 1.3 million-plus fans at stadiums but the 2023 tournament is expected to beat that mark with nearly 1.4 million tickets sold so far.

The pressure is on New Zealand, however, not just as co-hosts but also because they have never won a match at the World Cup in five prior appearances.

They are long odds to beat Norway, who have a Ballon d’Or winner in their midst.

Ada Hegerberg returned to the national team last year after a five-year exile and she is looking to put their disappointing group stage exit at the European Championships in the rear-view mirror.

“We must play every match as if it’s our last,” she said. “We need to really bleed for each other and bleed for our uniform, because nothing comes free.”

Australia will be led by Sam Kerr, a Golden Boot favourite and an icon in the sport after the Chelsea forward became the first woman to grace the global cover of the highly-popular video game FIFA 23.

With 55 goals in her last 72 internationals, Australian fans will hope to catch a glimpse of her trademark cartwheel-backflip goal celebration. On the biggest stage, on home soil.

“It’s about entertainment and having fun and showing what football is about. Maybe it might (happen), maybe it won’t,” Kerr said.

-Reuters

WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

What a goal-laden day for Nigeria; Falconets also win with wide margin!

Published

2 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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 28^th 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

Published

3 days ago

September 5, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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

Published

3 days ago

September 5, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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.