WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Facts before the match as Nigeria face uphill task against Canada
Match background
This Group B encounter sees Nigeria and Canada meet for the third time at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Their first clash was a 3-3 draw in the 1995 group stage, more recently Nigeria claimed a 1-0 victory in the group stage in 2011.
Nigeria have maintained their ever-present record at the FIFA Women’s World Cup and are the only African team to feature in all nine editions of the competition.
After reaching the round of 16 in 2019, the Super Falcons will need to start well in this tough group if they are to reach the knockout phase once again.
The 2020 Olympic Gold medallists Canada will rightly have high expectations coming into this tournament and they are competing in their eighth consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup, having missed only the inaugural tournament in 1991. Canada’s best performance at the finals came at the 2003 edition in the USA when they finished in fourth place. The closest they have come to emulating that feat was in 2015 when they reached the quarter-finals on home soil and they will be looking to progress deep into the tournament once again here.
Last meeting: 11/04/2022, Canada 2-2 Nigeria, friendly, Starlight Stadium, Langford (Canada)
Key facts: Nigeria are the only African team to feature in all nine editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Nigeria’s Onome Ebi is featuring in her sixth Women’s World Cup.
At the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019, she became the first-ever African to play in five editions of the competition.
Canada won their opening fixture 1-0 at the last two editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Canada’s Christine Sinclair holds several records for her nation at the Women’s World Cup, including most tournaments with an appearance (5), most tournaments with a goal (5), most appearances (21), most goals scored (10), oldest player to make an appearance (36y 12d) and oldest player to score a goal (36y 8d).
The two oldest players at the 2023 finals could potentially feature in this match. Nigeria’s Onome Ebi (40y 74d) and Canada’s Christine Sinclair (40y 39d).
Nigeria team facts
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
Overall record: P: 26 W: 4 D: 3 L: 19 F: 20 A: 63 GD: -43 Biggest win: 2-0Nigeria v. Denmark (27/06/1999)/2-0 Nigeria v. Korea Republic (12/06/2019) Biggest defeat: 0-8Nigeria v. Norway (06/06/1995) Highest scoring match: 8 goals – Norway 8-0 Nigeria (06/06/1995)/USA 7-1 Nigeria (24/06/1999) Most goals scored in a match: 3 – Nigeria 3-3 Canada (08/06/1995)/Brazil 4-3 Nigeria (01/07/1999)/Sweden 3-3 Nigeria (08/06/2015) Most goals conceded in a match: 8 – Norway 8-0 Nigeria (06/06/1995) Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 8 – 1999 (4 matches) Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 0 – 1991 and 2003 (3 matches) Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 14 – 1995 (3 matches) Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 2 – 2011 (3 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
Successive wins: 1 (four times) Successive defeats: 4 (three times) Successive draws: 1 (three times) Successive matches without a defeat: 2 (2011-2015) Successive matches without a win: 9 (1999-2011) Successive matches with a goal scored: 6 (1995-1999) Successive matches without scoring: 4 (1991-1995 and 2007-2011) Successive clean sheets: 1 (three times)
Canada team facts
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
Overall record: P: 27 W: 8 D: 5 L: 14 F: 34 A: 52 GD: -18 Biggest win: 4-0Canada v. Ghana (15/09/2007) Biggest defeat: 0-7Canada v. Norway (08/08/1995) Highest scoring match: 8 goals – Norway 7-1 Canada (23/06/1999) Most goals scored in a match: 4 – Canada 4-0 Ghana (15/09/2007) Most goals conceded in a match: 7 – Norway 7-0 Canada (08/08/1995)/Norway 7-1 Canada (23/06/1999) Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 10 – 2003 (6 matches) Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 1 – 2011 (3 matches) Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 13 – 1995 (3 matches) Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 3 – 2015 (5 matches)/2019 (4 matches)
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
Successive wins: 3 (2003) Successive defeats: 3 (three times) Successive draws: 2 (2015) Successive matches without a defeat: 4 (2015) Successive matches without a win: 7 (1995-2003) Successive matches with a goal scored: 12 (1999-2007) Successive matches without scoring: 2 (2011) Successive clean sheets: 2 (2015 and 2019)
Africa’s ultimate destination for sports, Morocco, has again been awarded the hosting rights for the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League.
Before now, the annual championship had been without a host before Morocco came to the rescue. It is perhaps the only country in Africa that meets the “Plug and Play” as at any time they meet the conditions to play.
According to CAF, the CAF Women’s Champions League will be played between 09-23 November 2024.
Morocco hosted the 2022 edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League – the premium women’s club football competition in Africa.
Eight Clubs will contest the top prize. Winners will get USD 400 000 in prize money with runners-up walking away with USD 250 000.
Mamelodi Sundowns are the current holders – having won the competition twice in three years.
Morocco’s ASFAR is the other team that has won the Competition – back in 2022 when they defeated Mamelodi Sundowns.
Since it’s inception, the CAF Women’s Champions League played a key role in shaping women’s football in Africa.
Morocco’s hosting of the CAF Women’s Champions League follows the nation’s successful hosting of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2022 which also enjoyed unparallelled success.
Six Zonal tournaments took place to qualify six teams in addition to the host and the holder of 2023 title to the FT of CAF WCL 2024. The following teams are qualified:
CAF Women’s Champions League Qualified Clubs:
Holders: Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Host: ASFAR (Morocco)
WAFU A: Aigles de la Medina (Senegal)
WAFU B: EDO Queens (Nigeria)
COSAFA: University of Western Cape (South Africa)
UNAF: Tutankhamun (Egypt)
CECAFA: CBE FC (Ethiopia)
UNIFFAC: TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
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
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