WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Catley penalty gives Kerr-less Australia winning start
Co-hosts Australia laboured initially in the absence of injured captain Sam Kerr but a second-half penalty from Steph Catley got them off to a solid start at the Women’s World Cup with a 1-0 win over Ireland in Group B on Thursday.
The news that striker Kerr had been ruled out by a calf injury stunned the record crowd of 75,784 as it filtered into Stadium Australia but Catley stepped up to take the captain’s armband and score the decisive goal in the 52nd minute.
Ireland, cheered on by a noisy band of compatriots, made life difficult for the Australians with their compact defence and came close to forcing an equaliser during a period of sustained pressure late in the second half.
“It’s incredible to get the win, I think this is the longest buildup to a game in my entire life,” Catley told reporters.
“Losing a player like Sam, probably the best player in the world and her as a person, obviously we were heartbroken. We had to use her spirit … to help us push on. She’s so, so important, she’s our spiritual leader.”
After a moment’s silence for the victims of the morning’s shooting in Auckland, the game opened as had been expected with Ireland getting plenty of bodies behind the ball and challenging Australia to try to break them down.
The Matildas were successful in using their pace on the flanks to get behind the Irish defence but the massed ranks of green shirts managed to deal with the subsequent crosses into the box.
It was from the set piece that the hosts looked most likely to score and winger Hayley Raso had the first attempt on goal from a 28th minute corner only to flash her header wide.
The second shot on goal came just before halftime but Katrina Gorry’s long-range effort was easily gathered by Courtney Brosnan in the Ireland goal.
‘ONE MISTAKE’
Australia came out with more intent after the break and the half was only seven minutes old when Kyra Cooney-Cross sent the ball looping into the box and Ireland forward Marissa Sheva shoved Raso to the ground.
Catley gave Brosnan no chance with the penalty, striking the ball with her left foot firmly into the top corner of the Ireland net.
The penalty appeared to ease the Australian nerves and Mary Fowler, who had replaced Kerr up front, almost immediately stormed forward and lashed a shot high over the bar.
Australia striker Caitlin Foord headed the ball across the face of goal in the 68th minute but that presaged Ireland’s best period of the game as they launched wave after wave of attacks.
Megan Connolly came close with a free kick in stoppage time which whipped just over the angle of the post and crossbar to give the Australians in the crowd a mighty fright.
The Irish continued to pour forward in search of an equaliser and Katie McCabe forced Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold into a save before Louise Quinn headed the ball just past the post in the dying seconds.
Australia, however, held on to make a winning start to a tournament in which they feel they can be genuine contenders after wins over England, Spain and France this year.
“It’s very disappointing, we said at halftime this was a game that would be decided by one mistake, them or us,” Ireland coach Vera Pauw told RTE.
“Sam Kerr is one of the top strikers in the world, her not playing was of course an advantage, but they have a powerful team and it was very difficult to play against them.”
-Reuters
FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 – Group B – Australia v Republic of Ireland – Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia – July 20, 2023 Australia’s Steph Catley celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos will gun for the maximum points when they take on their counterparts from New Zealand on Wednesday night in what is the first match of this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic.
Although the game between the host nation Dominican Republic and Ecuador (the other fixture in Group A) is billed as the opening match, Nigeria and New Zealand will do battle at the CFC Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros from 4 pm local time (9 pm in Nigeria), while the host nation and Ecuador will square up as from 9 pm local time (2 am Thursday in Nigeria).
Bronze medallists in the last edition of the competition in India, the Flamingos are aiming to go farther this time, with Head Coach Bankole Olowookere insisting that he has the ammunition to overcome opponents on their way.
“I have confidence in the girls to deliver the goods at this competition. We have come well-prepared to do even better than we did in India. The Nigeria Football Federation has done everything to prepare the team well, with a two-week final camping here in the Dominican Republic.
“We do not under-rate any of our opponents. However, we will take it one match at a time and produce our best in each game in order to go all the way.”
The Flamingos have previously missed taking part in only one edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals – the 2018 finals in Uruguay.
In the qualifying campaign for this year’s finals, the Nigerian girls notched 25 goals in six matches, with 13 of them scored by clinical forward Harmony Chidi.
After the encounter with New Zealand on Wednesday night, the Flamingos will confront their counterparts from Ecuador, also at the CFC Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros, before their final group phase game against the host nation at the Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo. The clash with Ecuador is on Saturday, 19th October while the battle with the host nation is on Tuesday, 22nd October.
Head Coach Bankole Olowookere has listed Captain Taiwo Afolabi and forwards Harmony Chidi and Peace Effiong in his 21-woman Flamingos’ roster for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic.
The clinical Chidi scored 13 of the team’s record-setting 25 goals in the qualifying series, as the bronze medallists from the last edition of the championship in India barnstormed their way past Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and Liberia in the continental campaign.
Petite midfielder Afolabi will lead the midfield, alongside Faridat Abdulwahab, Shakirat Moshood and Ayomide Rotimi, while first-choice goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma will have Sylvia Echefu and Elizabeth Boniface pushing her to her best all the time.
Taiwo Adegoke leads six other defenders, with Harmony Chidi leading six other forwards including Peace Effiong.
Nigeria will compete in Group A of the 16-nation finals alongside host nation Dominican Republic, Ecuador and New Zealand.
The delegation of Flamingos will depart the shores of Nigeria aboard a Turkish Airlines flight on Tuesday, 1st October for a two-week training tour in Santo Domingo, capital city of the Dominican Republic, ahead of the commencement of the tournament.
FLAMINGOS FOR FIFA U17 WORLD CUP DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 2024
Goalkeepers: Christiana Uzoma (Edo Queens); Elizabeth Boniface (Sunshine Queens); Sylvia Echefu (Confluence Queens)
Defenders: Prisca Nwachukwu (Imo Strikers); Jumai Adebayo (Naija Ratels); Taiwo Adegoke (Remo Stars Ladies); Rokibat Azeez (New Generation Academy); Hannah Ibrahim (Remo Stars Ladies); Vivian Ekezie (Heartland Queens); Ololade Isiaka (Abia Angels)
Midfielders: Taiwo Afolabi (Delta Queens); Faridat Abdulwahab (Nasarawa Amazons); Shakirat Moshood (Bayelsa Queens); Muinat Rotimi (Nakamura Football Academy)
Forwards: Oghenemairo Obruthe (City Sports); Harmony Chidi (Imo Strikers); Kudirat Arogundade (Green Foot); Ramotalahi Kareem (Honey Badgers); Aishat Animashaun (Naija Ratels); Peace Effiong (Rivers Angels); Blessing Ifitezue (Delta Queens)
FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Dominican Republic 2024
Group A: Dominican Republic, Ecuador, New Zealand, Nigeria
Group B: Spain, USA, Korea Republic, Colombia
Group C: Korea DPR, Mexico, Kenya, England
Group D: Japan, Poland, Brazil, Zambia
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the appointment of Justin Madugu as a temporary successor to America’s Randy Waldrum, who has stepped down.
The NFF announced that its decision was based on the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Coach Justin Madugu will lead the remaining technical crew and take charge of the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons, pending the appointment of a substantive Head Coach.
The Super Falcons’ next big engagement is the Women Africa Cup of Nations finals, taking place in Morocco in the summer of next year.
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